I've let down my 2 little ex batts and feel awful!

[andy5898]

I've let down my 2 little ex batts and feel bad. We put our 2 ex batts in with our regular girls last week. They seemed to be getting on. Then as the week has gone on the other 3 have been picking on the 2 ex batts more. Too the point yesterday where they had drawn blood on Doris's bum as she is rather lacking on feathers there. In the end this evening we decided enough was enough and put Doris and Vera back into a separate house and run. As soon as I did that you could see the relief they felt. They are busily eating and drinking and just look happier.

We have decided though we are going to let Doris and Vera's feathers get well on there way to growing back before we introduce them again. I know I am being soft but as our pets it was awful to see the upset. Nothing will make us give up on our 2 little ex batts so our 3 Point-of-Lay girls will have to get used to it. But we reckon give it by October our 2 ex batts will have feathers hopefully and will be happier when we move them all in together.

I just wondered if anyone else had the same problems? Doris, Vera and me are currently purple from Gentian Violet Spray which I used to hide there wounds and they felt it looked so good I should have purple legs too but still didn't solve the pecking issue I just needed others to tell me I wasn't alone in the problem! Ta.

[silverback]

Why don't you try putting one of the other three in with the ex-batts, say the less aggressive one!, and see if that changes the dynamic?..

[andy5898]

That's a good idea, then that way it ends up 2 ex batts and an extra 1 vs the other 2. So in theory the ex batts and there new mate will have more control! I will give it a few weeks to let things calm down again and then maybe give it a go. Ta

[AnnaB]

Hi Andy

You haven't let your girls down it was worth a try. Sometime integration can be easy other times it is a nightmare (says she with 10 years experience of rescued hens). Keep them apart when you are not there when you have time to be with them let them all free range together - that way you can keep order. Vitamin E is a good feather producer but not too much (it is in A&P Ex battery crumb). Good luck with your girls!

[kitla]

I agree, don't worry, some people take weeks to start integrating them. I let mine
mix at about a week but only because they free range, even then I shut them back
in their own run in the mornings for breakfast and any time things got nasty.
It's often 2 steps forward 1 step back, but you'll get there in the end.

[andy5898]

Thank you I feel a lot happier now. Yesterday I was worried about coming home to what I would find. They all free ranged today in the garden, but when I go out I do prefer to put them in the run so I know there safe. So fingers crossed over the next few months it will be better!

[perchy]

I have introduced lots of hens, but one time I had to wait months before peace was restored, it is awful at times, you have spotted the trouble and dealing with it, don't be hard on yourself, nature is harsh sometimes

[Linda S]

Andy you haven't let your girls down at all how could you when you have given them the chance to live a free and normal life after the horrors of the cages .

Part of experiencing the freedom means learning to live in a flock and sometimes the mixing can be tough.

When we mixed our last five exs it was two of those who were the worse bullies on the other three exs and not our free born girls Scarlet and Blondie who were top chooks and didnt seem to need to be too nasty to get this over to them.
In fact if Sorrel got to bad sometimes one of them would wade in and stop her and put her in her place

When they were imprisoned some will have been picked on and had no escape, a good idea is to have a water pistol or washing up.liquid botle with water in it and squirt whoever is being nasty many of us have done this.

Good luck and rest assured that you haven't let them down at all and also that you definately arnt the only
one to have this problem Lindaxx

[bluebell]

Andy, you haven't let your girls down - you've given them the opportunity to live life as it should - and not in a cage.

Its a learning curve keeping chooks, we all learn something new every day. You've had some good advice already given, so just wanted to say - good for you, giving these girls a second chance at life

[bmpsands]

You certainly haven't let them down! No-one will ever have worried about them before and they are probably already realising that you are one of the good guys. Especially since you are all now the same colour!

I've recently integrated some ex-batts and it went very well. There was some shouting and rushing about for a few days but nothing brutal. We then had a period of about 3 weeks when they split into two little flocks and ignored each other.

We took some ex-barn hens last year and that integration was a bit of a nightmare. We let them free range together but they were in separate coops for quite a while.

[sandy]

Andy it has all been said, you have not let anyone down. Those girls would have been dog food, paste or soup if you hadn't given them a lovely home

[little brown hen]

Don't be down about it, It always taken about 2 - 3 months when Ive integrated hens. Ive always let them out half an hour before bed to start with, and hung around with a water pistol and treats, and eventually I realise they are are tolerating each other. Mine still hang around in their original groups and will have a sneeky peck when they pass each other, but its not called a pecking order for nothing. Hang on in there, they'll get there in the end.

[andy5898]

I am feeling a lot better about it now. I have just bought a 3ft rabbit hutch (normally I would burn them as they are useless for bunnies) however for 2 little ex battery hens who need a bit of protection and there own private nesting box its just the job. So will convert it over the next few evenings. The ex batts still happily free range with my other 3 girls but they are a lot happier when they are in there run that the other 3 aren't picking on them. Hopefully a couple of months and there feathers will be well on the way to growing back then we will try introductions again!