chickenNutter Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 Well after advice from chickens people on here and other fora I tried popping my Pekin bantam in with the big flock -Light Sussex cockerel, 2Light Sussex girls, 2 Bluebell girls- late evening. All was quiet. This morning however she was sitting in the hen house at the top of the ladder, with a bleeding comb. ☹️ having been in an eglu I am not sure she knew how to get down or even wanted to join them in the run. Have treated comb with wound powder and put her back in her own run. is all lost or do I try again? She started off wanting to join them, but now tried to get as far from them as possible. They have free ranged together but not really as a flock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 Well you can't do much until she is healed. We've had hens alongside each other for weeks, but once in the same coop problems started and they were immediately separated permanently. Introducing a single hen is very difficult at the best of times and is really best considered impossible. Your only chance, based on our experience, is to introduce the flock to her. That means that she occupies the eventual coop and run for a few weeks and then the flock is introduced singularly, over a week or so, starting with the lowest in the pecking order. It does work, if you have spare accommodation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 3 hours ago, Beantree said: Well you can't do much until she is healed. We've had hens alongside each other for weeks, but once in the same coop problems started and they were immediately separated permanently. Introducing a single hen is very difficult at the best of times and is really best considered impossible. Your only chance, based on our experience, is to introduce the flock to her. That means that she occupies the eventual coop and run for a few weeks and then the flock is introduced singularly, over a week or so, starting with the lowest in the pecking order. It does work, if you have spare accommodation. Agreed I wouldn't suggest introducing a lone hen to an existing flock, let alone a bantam to larger birds. Separate her again, and let the other see her. Once her comb has healed, pop a smaller/gentler hen from your main flock in with her and watch to check that they get on OK. Leave them together for a couple of weeks before trying to introduce that pair - do this when they are free ranging, not confined to the run and certainly not when they are going in to roost. When/if they look happy enough together, try putting the 'new' two in to roost with the others about an hour after they've all settled, Listen out for half an hour for any shenanigans, and be prepared to get up early the next day to let them all out before any trouble starts. At all stages, be prepared to take a step back and delay introductions if necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenNutter Posted July 10, 2020 Author Share Posted July 10, 2020 Thanks both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
