My eco solution to rat problems

[rachel84]

So we recently got 3 new girls to go with my existing 3 plus cockerel. They are settling in ok, not too much fighting and are slowly starting to integrate. The only real issue is bed time - the Light Sussex will fight her way in to the cube and put up with the abuse but the other 2 are more timid and have taken to sleeping on the roof. As it approaches dark either the cockerel or one of the girls will sit at the entrance and peck at whoever tries to enter until they give up.

Is this likely to sort itself or am I going to need to invest in another house? They go in to lay but are not allowed in at night 🙄

[The Dogmother]

This is normal and will settle - did you follow usual procedures for introductions... isolation etc?

[Luvachicken]

Mine used to do that.

In the end, the girls that were left outside had to wait until the chicken at the door had gone further in and was more sleepy, then they could sneak in.

It did take a while but they got there in the end.

[Patricia W]

Some chickens like to perch high.  My bantams sleep on a perch in the run in most weathers.  But I suspect yours will settle over time. 

[rachel84]

Thanks for the replies, I will give it a little more time before getting too concerned! I followed my normal procedure of putting them all in together and letting them sort it out - I keep an eye on them but it has never been violent. I always get my hens from the same place and they are fully vaccinated. 

[The Dogmother]

In hindsight, it might have been better to isolate and quarantine them first, and let them get used to each other through the mesh before putting them in together. Have a look at this sticky here

[rachel84]

Thank you, I have also tried the isolation method first but found it just prolongs the minor squabbles they generally need to go through before finding their place so did choose not to do this as I have done the last few times I have introduced new hens. I am very happy with the way they have integrated and settled and bedtime now seems to have been sorted since it started raining too.

[Valkyrie]

I used to take my naughty little bantam out of the cube until the others went to bed.  Then if she pecked them when she got back in, I took her out and put her down the end of the run.  It took 3 sessions before she stopped.  Since then we haven't had any issues.  Since then my other pekin who was broody the whole time the little ones were integrating has been picked on by one of the young ones.  Well that brought her out of her coma and we've had the odd chest thumping.  But no blood letting and today they were all catching the few sun rays that arrived this afternoon!