DeeDee Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 Hi All, I have not posted for a while, but need your expert advice please. I got two new chickens today, they are about 12 week old Salmon Favorelle. I think one is slightly older than the other as she has tail feathers and the other girls are just growing through. They settled in ok but just went out to check on them and one has pecked the new tail feathers and has made it bleed. I have taken her out and cleaned as best as I can and put some powder on her feathers. She is very stressed out and just want to know if I should put her back in now with the other chicken as I dont really want to separate them for to long? Thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 I'd put her back in once they have all gone to bed. Just pop her in with the others after dark and see how she goes tomorrow. Spray her with some purple spray if you have any..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeeDee Posted July 4, 2015 Author Share Posted July 4, 2015 Thanks for the reply, Have just popped her back in with the other one and she is still pecking her. Will get some purple spray tomorrow. Never had this before and it is not very nice to watch. Will see what tomorrow brings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 No. It is horrid. Have you got a bumper bit handy just incase she doesn't let up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeeDee Posted July 4, 2015 Author Share Posted July 4, 2015 No I haven't got a bumper bit I will see if the farm shop has any tomorrow, if not I will order one. She is only young are there various sizes? It has been a stressful afternoon! I thought Favorelles were supposed to be docile, she is worse than any of my hybrids! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 They are sort of one size fits all....... If you catch her at it, you could try to dominate her by holding down, or shoot her with a water pistol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeeDee Posted July 5, 2015 Author Share Posted July 5, 2015 It is really difficult to get hold of her as they are in a small run and I cant reach in that far. I am really struggling at the moments as one of my other chickens has not stopped making a racket since the new chickens arrived. The new chicken is still pecking the other one this morning. I am seriously thinking that this was a mistake and I should try to rehome the two new little ones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeeDee Posted July 5, 2015 Author Share Posted July 5, 2015 It has been awful this morning, she has drawn blood again and I have had to separate them and my old chickens are still kicking off. I have now moved both new girls in the shed but separated them and the old girls are really quite now. I have decided to rehome as I have loved keeping chickens for the last 3 1/2 years and dont want this to ruin it for me, also OH is not happy about all the noise and amount of time we are in an out trying to keep the old girls quiet and check on the new ones, it has been really stressful and I know it may sound silly but really upsetting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 Oh Dee Dee..... It is very stressful adding new girls in. there is no way around it tho. They will settle but it'll usually take 2 or 3 days. I usually put extra food stations in so that the older ones cant guard them all. Throw loads of treats in, veggies and stuff to keep them occupied and try a water pistol. You will have to spend time up and down to them for the first day or so, but it will get better. Is it one girl in particular that is doing the pecking? You could always take her out for a while and let the others settle, then add her back in later.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeeDee Posted July 5, 2015 Author Share Posted July 5, 2015 The two new girls were in a small run on their own near to the old girls so they can see each other. I have done a successful introduction last year with keeping them so they can see each other for a while then slowly putting the new ones with the old girls. It is one of the new girls that is attacking the other new girl, I have separated them now but close to each other so they dont get too distressed and hid them from the older girls so they can't see them and my older girls have stopped shrieking. I know the are going to make a fuss but they did not stop shrieking from yesterday midday until they went to bed and again as soon as I let them out this morning. I think I could possibly cope with the pecking issue but not the constant noise from the older girls. I must have just been extremely lucky with my last introduction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 Actually I think you are extremely unlucky with this one DeeDee. I would say that the two newbies have never been together before and that the one was already a feather pecker when you got her. One of the factors against you is having them in a small run as well I suppose. But clearly your oldies sense something about these two and I think you are quite right to get rid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeeDee Posted July 5, 2015 Author Share Posted July 5, 2015 Thanks Beantree, I do feel awful for getting rid so quickly but I don't want to stress the chickens anymore. I have contact the supplier to see if he will re home so am just waiting a response and also contacted another lady near me who re homes. It is such a shame as they are lovely looking little girls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeeDee Posted July 11, 2015 Author Share Posted July 11, 2015 Well after 4 attempts at just letting the old girls see the new girls things have got better. The oldies are happy to have the new girls in the small run beside their large run, the feather pecking seems to have stopped between the new girls as I separated them for 5 days. I am not going to try and integrate the new girls for about 4 weeks as they are young (13 weeks), so my plan is to keep them in the run on their own for 3-4 weeks then move them in to the big run with the other girls but fenced off for a week or two. Fingers crossed it works as the new girls are lovely little things. Can anyone advise how long they need to be kept on growers pellets? Also do they still need grit and oyster shell, and can I give them any treats yet and if so are there things they shouldn't have? Thanks Dee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted July 11, 2015 Share Posted July 11, 2015 Some here only put them on layers, when the first hen started laying. I think I put them on layers from about 20 weeks on. Also 16 weeks might be a bit young to integrate them to mature hens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeeDee Posted July 11, 2015 Author Share Posted July 11, 2015 Thanks Cat Tails I will keep them separated til they are at least 20 weeks then, I have only ever had hybrids so having young hens is all new to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
