The Poultry Keeper

HelenP · Joined: 12 Mar 2006 Posts: 144 Location: GLOUCESTERSHIRE

how come chickens that appear to spend the night together can become so horrible in the light of day!! Introduced the 2 new girls when the others had gone to bed on Saturday night. The speckeldy won't come out of the house (how long can they go without food/drink? and the sussex star does come out but is then mobbed the the others. I've gone from having 5 quite nicely behaved chickens to having 3 or 4 thugs. It's funny how the bullying isn't done by the head chicken - she's actually quite happy with the newbies - well the sussex anyway. She does have a go at Freckles the speckeldy. I know it will settle (well, hope it will), but it's horrid and I want to know why chickens haven't had this nasty streak bred out of them!! Only joking of course but it's such a pity this has to be gone through.

Chickenmad Sallyann · Joined: 20 Apr 2006 Posts: 16 Location: Shropshire

Hi HelenP,
I , too, had this problem when I introduced two new girls. It took about two weeks for the birds to settle in together but now they are all getting along very nicely, with the odd peck here and there just to show them who's boss!! As to the food and water, I have read that they can't go without water for very long as it damages their livers. They would probably be able to without food for a longer period, maybe a few days.

I'm sure some of the other more experienced keepers will be able to help more.

Hope yours settle soon. Smile

Sally

Knobby · Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 7:41 am Post subject:

It is horrible to see, and yes they will stop doing it.....best thing I find is to go out for the day & let them get it over with !

Lisa · Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 7:43 am Post subject:

And how would you feel to wake up one morning with 2 strangers in your bed Shocked

Seriously though, have you put out more than one feeder and drinker while they settle in? That can help the bullied ones get food and water elsewhere...

Can you even put one (temporarily) in the house? If there is one that hasn't even come out of the house yet, how does she know there is food outside? Maybe sprinkle some yummy scratch feed on the floor for the more confident ones, away from the feeder(s), and the get the one from the house and put her right in front of the food bowl while the others are distracted?

It is horrible while they settle in though, isn't it. Hang on in there... they will settle eventually Smile

HelenP · Joined: 12 Mar 2006 Posts: 144 Location: GLOUCESTERSHIRE

I think for me the main difference between what's happening now and when we first got the original 5 is that then the picking on was done by one main bird against one other - now is done by 3 or 4! I did put a feeder and drinker in the house yesterday and shut the others out for about an hour - but I don't want the new ones to think they have an easy life getting fed and watered inside so don't have to come out! I'll put food and drink in today but not shut the others out. When I've scattered corn I've chucked some inside so they're not missing out. I know it's a case of time but it is so horrid - I can see why people don't like chickens cos let's face it in a lot of respects they're not particularly nice birds!! Thankfully I'm back at work tomorrow so I won't be around so much to see (and hear) what's going on. I look forward to the day when I can see 7 contented chickens just guddling around. Out of interest, at what point would folk intervene in bickering - at the moment there seems to be a lot of squawking and trying to pin down by the neck but I can't see 'damage'.

HelenP · Joined: 12 Mar 2006 Posts: 144 Location: GLOUCESTERSHIRE

Lisa - some days I think strangers in the bed would be a blessing - rather than the same person for 24 years!!! But I do know what you mean.

Lisa · Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 9:23 am Post subject:

Fenn · Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 2292 Location: Shrewsbury

Hi Helen

I'm in exactly the same position as you, having introduced two new birds on Saturday night. On Sunday morning, the henhouse was a screeching mass of bickering birds and I brought the new girls into the kitchen to give them a break.
But last night I shut them in the run together and they all put themselves to bed without incident. There's been a few attempted attacks this morning but it's definitely calming down.

This is the second time I've introduced new birds and the others are right - they do settle down eventually, even though it can be a bit hair (and feather!) raising whilst it's going on Shocked

They'll be fine. Eventually Wink

Issy · Joined: 22 Nov 2005 Posts: 371 Location: somerset

Hi

Like you I introduced two new chickens last week and the bickering is still going on. Nothing serious the - matriarch Gertie knows she is boss and so only puts the new ones in their place when absolutely necessary Rolling Eyes

but Molly and Blacky are determined having been the bottom of the pecking order when we had lots of hens that it isn't going to be them again!!
It will settle down it just takes time and so long as none of mine are hurt I won't interfere as the dust will settle in a few days. Not nice while it is going on though.

HelenP · Joined: 12 Mar 2006 Posts: 144 Location: GLOUCESTERSHIRE

thanks for the reassurance folks. We'll get through this chicken lark together! And I've just been out and collected 6 eggs so Star (the sussex) is obviously reasonably happy otherwise she wouldn't have laid today. I'll try to avoid looking out the kitchen window for a while. Pity this weather is so awful - I'm reluctant to let them out into the garden until I've got some protection round my vegie plot and their run is turning into a quagmire!

alexa · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 336 Location: wiltshire

i agree aslong as they are actually wounding each other i would let them sort it out, dont worry it will get better!! im sure rain doesnt help as you dont really wanna be sitting out getting muddy and cold watching them argueing!
the reason they are okay at night is that they cant see. then when the light comes they see and thinki who the heck is that!

hope it improves soon

lex

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

Like everyone has said, they will settle down, but being enclosed isn't helping too much, the weather being as it is. Also the top hen doesn't need to do anything she is top hen, it's the lower ones that want to be higher that will be trying to put the new ones in their place.