ZoeBunny Posted October 19, 2014 Share Posted October 19, 2014 I have a 5 month old trio of araucanas which I would like to introduce to my existing flock of 8 hens. They've been in eye sight of each other for about a month now, but I let them out all together this morning to free range (first time) and it was horrendous. All the hens fluffed up their feathers and went for him, so he of course fought back. I managed to separate them pretty quickly so no one was hurt but to say that it has knocked my confidence is a complete understatement. The hens pretty much ignored the 2 new ladies with all the commotion, but I've put the trio back together for now. Can anyone offer any advice on how to try again, or when to try again... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted October 19, 2014 Share Posted October 19, 2014 6 months is the earliest I would mix them, even with a cockerel Zoe. What usually happens with a young (or small) cockerel is the flock, lead by the top hen, beats him up. He then has a complete loss of confidence and starts behaving like a hen. Walks around stooped and doesn't crow. It may take another 6 months for him to grow enough regain his status. He will not protect his young hens and they will get beaten up as well. We have faced a similar problem 3 times now. Introducing just a cockerel to older hens is achieved by removing all the hens from their existing enclosure and putting them in temporary accommodation. Then put the new cockerel (with his two hens in this case) in their run and introduce the lowest in the pecking order hen. Allow him to tread her. Keep adding one hen at a time with the same process. It may take many hours before the top hen goes in. She will now be presented with an established flock and will simply fall in line, perhaps after a brief scuffle. There is no other way to achieve successful integration of a young cockerel in my experience. Putting an older or bigger cockerel in is easy of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoeBunny Posted October 19, 2014 Author Share Posted October 19, 2014 Thanks for the reply Beantree I have ordered a walk in run from omlet, but its not in stock until the end of November, so do you think this would work... When the run arrives (in about 5 weeks) I set it up and attach the classic with the trio in and let them get settled. I'll then isolate the other girls like you suggest by taking the cube off its run and shortening it to just the 2m of extension with spare door on the end (to create a standalone holding pen) whilst I clean and attach the cube to the walk in run. Then like you say add the girls one by one. I will have a spare coop should it take longer than a day to integrate them. By then (talking early Dec) he should be at least 6 months and it'll be a new environment for all of them. Do you think that might work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted October 19, 2014 Share Posted October 19, 2014 Sounds good to me Zoe. In the meantime watch your existing flock of 8 carefully and establish the pecking order as best you can. It may help to tag the legs of the two lowest and the two highest. The ones in the middle are not so important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoeBunny Posted October 19, 2014 Author Share Posted October 19, 2014 I'll try.. I know who the 2 lowest are, but it gets a bit murky further up the rung as the boss lady (my welsummer) went broody and she's currently out of the mix with her chicks. The remaining hens seem to have a band of 4 which were pretty ruthless with him. But I'll keep my eyes on them and observe a bit more over the next few weeks to get an action plan together. Just to add one more scenario to the mix I currently have 2 growers that are about 16 weeks old, slightly smaller than the trio. One I suspect is another male (araucana so hard to sex) but I'm positive the other is a pullet. Do you think I could try to incorporate her into the trio before the bigger introduction later on? Never had to juggle so many new birds at differing ages before but I'm trying to transition between my older ladies into only keeping pure breed CLB's and araucana without having to lose any birds doing it. Its so hard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted October 19, 2014 Share Posted October 19, 2014 Good luck Zoe. If you put the two in with the young trio the cockerel will immediately tell you if that one is male. He will either tread her or fight him. Then you have the problem of introducing the one perhaps hen. This needs to be done before the main exercise. You could add the known cockerel to the unknown and see what happens. You are making a very difficult transition. Once again you can split the cockerel from his girls and add the newbie(s). Then later you can make the main intro. Remember fighting quickly starts if you reduce their effective run space when you add newbies. So the run size needs to be increased at the same time. This can be achieved by taking a bit off them and giving it back when the new ones go in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted October 19, 2014 Share Posted October 19, 2014 carry on letting them free range until you have the new run up and ready, but let the group out with the cockerel first as they aren't the dominant group 30 minutes before the main group for a few days that way they have time to let off steam and find their safe place before the dominant group come out it. also for some reason the group that comes out first 'own' the free range area even through they are not the top mob. after a few days you can just let the older group out straight after the younger group. try not to intervene in any scuffles to much unless blood is drawn as it'll only prolong the intro once the girls have knocked the lad into shape and he thinks he's in charge ( he never really will be but he'll think he is) then it'll all settle down fairly quickly it'll just take him a while to learn some manners but the girls will knock them in to him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoeBunny Posted October 19, 2014 Author Share Posted October 19, 2014 Thank you so much. I haven't seen him treading anyone yet, grrrr I'm hesitant to put the lavenders in as if a fight kicks out its not exactly easy to split two birds up in the confines of a classic and run is it? :sigh: Here's my trio though, good looking birds eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoeBunny Posted October 19, 2014 Author Share Posted October 19, 2014 Thanks SJP, i'll carry on free ranging but will probably keep both sets separate for now and only mix them when I can be sure I can sit with them at all times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoeBunny Posted October 19, 2014 Author Share Posted October 19, 2014 You have to click on this pic to see the whole of him, not sure why Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted October 19, 2014 Share Posted October 19, 2014 are they the same 3 that you ask about the sex of earlier? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoeBunny Posted October 19, 2014 Author Share Posted October 19, 2014 No different 3 SJP. Those were the lavenders (one has since been rehomed) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
