The Poultry Keeper

Christine · Joined: 29 Mar 2008 Posts: 64 Location: somerset

Yesterday we bought two new hens to add to the girls after my kraienkoppe died, we bought a light sussex, and a silver grey dorking, both girls about 12 weeks old. (from a pure breeds farm).

We added them to the group after a little adjustment time, and there was a little pecking, just as though they were saying who are you, but then my remaining kraienkoppe went rather nasty towards the light sussex.

I rigged up a shield in the eglu at bedtime, the two new ones were in the nesting area, and the others were on the roosting bars,and so they could all see each other, I secured an oven rack between the two., hence they could not get to each other, but thought it might familiarise them.

Today, the light sussex has stayed up in the glu, the dorking came down, had a drink and some food then went to keep her mate company all day.
I'm not too bothered yet about them staying up stairs, all the other hens have been up around them and all has been well, they have had food and drink near them, but have not been too interested.

The new girls have been reared in a large shed and have had no access to daylight until they came here, they havn't felt grass under thier feet, or the gentle rustle of the breeze, which I assume would all be very strange for them, I guess they will have to get accustomed to this.

However, played it by ear tonight as to segregate them or not, and very happily, they are all together in the roosting area, there was a little jostling at first for the prime position, but all is quiet in chicken land.
Am I expecting too much too soon, have they been accepted now?
I realise the pecking order regarding food may go on a little longer, but I dearly hope we are on the right track.

All comments very gratefully received.

One very obsessed anxious mother hen.

Christine

Kitsune · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 1308 Location: Manchester

it sounds like you might have a very quick introduction there - if they are roosting quietly its a good sign, sometimes introductions can go well, other times they can be terrible - having them so they can see but not get at each other is by far the best way to go about it, I like to leave it for at least a week with adult birds, sometimes less with younger ones as they seem to adapt better (sometimes, not always!)

I have had a case where it took 2 weeks to get adult birds to 'play nice' after a week I let them range together when I was around and only split up fights when they got fierce - I'd always put them separately again when I wasn't around until I was sure they were getting on ok.

if yours seem good then I'd keep my fingers crossed and hope - make sure you keep a good watch out though and look them over for any signs of damage - have a look at the 'hens fighting' thread in the poultry clinic for an idea of what can happen when things go bad!

feeding is a bonding time for chickens, as long as they can all get to the food at the same time they should be better with each other after eating together, there will be some pecking about the 'best' spot but just make sure they can all get some and they should be fine.

JustChickens · Joined: 24 Mar 2008 Posts: 855 Location: Sussex

They take a gd few days to get used to going outside. I had 2 old girls left from my origonal 6. I made a new pen/hutch for the 2 old girls to put inside the bigger run which was home to my 6 new pullets.. they spent 2 weeks seperated by chicken wire and got very used to each other.. one day found the gate had opened somehow lol, and they were all together quite happily and from that day there all one flock Smile

Theres always the odd bit of pecking but that happens in every group of chickens

Christine · Joined: 29 Mar 2008 Posts: 64 Location: somerset

Vikki, thank you so much, I will check out the thread.
I've felt like a new Mum whose been panicking about her baby all day,I even took the day off work to watch them, and have sat just out of site armed with a spray bottle in case things get nasty.

Iv'e put extra feeders in the run, along with exra water, but the youngsters are on growers pellets at the moment, thing is, the old girls like them too!
I so want to do the right thing, I know they are animals, but I just hate it when the get picky with each other.
Should I just let the girls go down from the eglu in their own time, or should I give them a bit of a prod, after all, it has been a huge upheavel for them?

Kitsune · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 1308 Location: Manchester

Ideally give them some time to settle and feel comfortable with their surroundings - personally I can get impatient and would be sorely tempted to give them a prod! Then I'd feel guilty about it...

As long as they have food and water where they can reach it they'll be fine.

I think the older chickens liking the growers pellets is something to do with the mindset that something someone else is being given is obviously superior to what they are. Like 2 yr olds with toys!

I totally empathise with the worried mummy feeling by the way! I'm in the process of introducing two new chicks to my silkie crosses and it's interesting to say the least!

Christine · Joined: 29 Mar 2008 Posts: 64 Location: somerset

Yep, think I'll just let them do their own thing, like children, they will do things when they're ready.

(just off to check the eglu to make sure alls quiet before I pop off to bed,, then up again at 5.30 to make sure all is fine before I go to work and my partner comes home to take over "chicken watch").

By eck, chickens are exhausting!!!

Christine · Joined: 29 Mar 2008 Posts: 64 Location: somerset

Well, checked on the girls last thing yesterday, and all was well, fayoumis were snuggled up with the new girls, and all the girls seemed reasonably content.

This morning, all were awake and sociable at 5.00 and the hatch was opened as usual, the older girls went down, and the other 2 looked keen to have a go and get outside.
eventually they made it, and when I popped home to see what was happening, the new girls were eating together, the others not batting an eyelid-----until, that is, very late in the afternoon, the same time as yesterday when the kraienkoppe did a vicious attack on the light sussex and we had to remove her. Now, as it was the same time, (tea time), could it be that she knew this, and thought the new girls were going to deprive her of her food? After they had supper they were fine, although the new girls stayed up in the eglu.
Also, it was a problem getting the new girls to drink with their elders, even though I placed more drinking bowls in there, she was a little dehydrated, but she did manage when we bought her in.
I have a feeling that they are a little younger than the breeder said they were, I think probably they are about 10 weeks instead of 12 weeks.
I think tomorrow, I will remove the kraienkoppe before she gets her nasty tea time attack, and maybe she will forget it.
Hope I'm on the right track here, if she was in for the kill she would do it all the time, not just before food time, especially when she has been so accepting of her all other times of the day.
Overall though, not going to bad is it?

Christine