Adding to the flock...

AnnaB · Post by **AnnaB** » 23 Sep 2007, 14:31

Willow
Candy used to have a partner who was pts in Apr. There was no rescue due till July and I had to wait. She became very territorial - these new ones were interlopers. She wouldn't let them perch and kept pecking them - this didn't last long when the new ones found their feet....they now all perch at night.

Willow · Post by **Willow** » 05 Oct 2007, 08:48

We picked up our new chooks last night - over an hours drive and then found that 3 looked about 13 weeks if that and tiny, and one just slightly bigger..
1 x Copper french Maran
1 x Cuckoo Maran
1 x Lilac Araucana
1 x White Araucana

We weren't allowed to see the pens or how they were kept, they were brought to the garden gate in a cat carrier, very frightened and quite smelly - We just didnt have the heart to say they were too small (for their sakes) So now we have the problem of four chooks half the size of ours... How do we integrate them?
Our ladies are not in the least bit chuffed and our first attempt at combining the flock ended in the poor little white Araucana (who'd run towards the Big black rock ladies with a huge smile on her face) running a gauntlet of angry yells and pecks and being chased.. the little Cuckoo Maran went through the same and we then chased them around the garden to get them back into the pen and sepperated..
We've converted a 6' x 4' shed which the new chooks slept in last night, the black rocks slept in their house..
I was going to pop them all into the new hen house last night, but the size difference has me worried now..
What do I do??
:cry: Help!! ^b:

Post by Mo » 05 Oct 2007, 12:47

No idea really, except that your original idea of them all being in a new run together is not going to work if the new ones stay in the new run till they are big.
Do you think adding the Black Rocks in one at a time would work?
At least with the nights being dark for longer they won't be up and about for hours before you come to let them out of the house.

Willow · Post by **Willow** » 05 Oct 2007, 13:42

You're absolutely right Mo.. I cant keep them separated for the next month :( and with the new run and the new hen house it would be the ideal time to get them together.. I'm being daft, there's going to be a punch up no matter what so we may as well get them in the run together this evening :shock:

at least the babies know where the new house is..

Post by Mo » 05 Oct 2007, 14:42

I think I would try waiting till they are all on the roost and the lifting one and putting it where you want it. Saves all the chasing round the garden, and they can't see each other for the punch up. Then at least they share the same smell in the morning (if that matters to hens - no sure).

Willow · Post by **Willow** » 05 Oct 2007, 18:10

Right, this afternoon we popped them all into the run together.. there were a few nasty spats but the run is big enough for them to get away.. The little ones went into the house if it got too hairy and came out again half an hour later... The older birds havent been in the new house yet so didn't venture in after them..
The little ones went in about 17.30 and Tony has closed the pop hole till dusk when we'll open it again to see if the older birds will go in to roost.. (we've now taken their 'old' coop away.. )
fingers crossed!!

:(

Willow · Post by **Willow** » 05 Oct 2007, 19:48

It worked!!! :-D

We waited till dusk, crept down and opened the pop hole, the little ones didnt make a sound so were hopefully all sleeping. Our black rock ladies took about half an hour of putting heads into the pop hole - going for a wander, getting into the new coop and coming back out again till at last they all went in... No squalks or flapping about, no fights, just a quick shuffle - we shut the pop hole five minutes later and silence!! )t'

:mrgreen:

Lets see what happens in the morning....

Willow · Post by **Willow** » 06 Oct 2007, 20:34

This morning our Black rocks came out of the new coop immediately, the new girls stayed put and refused to come out. We let the Black rocks out of the run into the garden, and the new girls appeared and could eat and drink... We then shot off to pick up a brown leghorn (1 year old) and on returning, popped her straight in with the new girls without any problems.. but the Black rocks spied her and the lead hen Bethan went balistic!! She and the new leghorn were displaying and jumping at each other through the wire! So we took the quietest Black rock (Harriet) and put her in the run with the new girls.. a little bit of pecking but nothing much and soon quietened down. All the new girls and Harriet went to bed in the new coop and the two Black rocks Bethan and Waltraut, went to bed in the old coop.. :( ^b:

Willow · Post by **Willow** » 08 Oct 2007, 14:41

This flaming chicken malarkey is shredding my nerves!! :shock:

They now all sleep in the new hen house.. but the more the black rocks (the originals) get used to the new run, the more bossy they have become and the poor little new girls are barely allowed out of the house! I've had to put food and water in the hen house or they would have died of starvation or dehydration by now.. :(
The other big problem is that the black rocks are refusing to lay eggs in the new hen house.. they just get really upset , rush back and forth along the side of the run and make an almighty racket until I let them to their old house.. So this morning I've made a pop hole in the new run and have re attached the old hen house again.. any ideas??? :idea: ^b:

:(

Willow · Post by **Willow** » 08 Oct 2007, 15:27

Dave - the idea that getting the same ammount or more new chooks would ease the problems of adding to the flock doesnt work.. the new girls dont act like a bonded flock, they are just a load of scared individuals.. and get chased and pecked by the old girls until they just stay out of sight.. also the idea of new surroundings and house maybe helping to stop the terratorial behaviour doesnt work with chickens, they are intelligent enough to know that no matter what the smaller housing changes - they were in the area first! :shock:

They can just be bloody minded little ratfinks!!

Willow · Post by **Willow** » 09 Oct 2007, 14:18

Last night the 'old birds' slept in their old house and the new girls slept in the new house.... I came back from work and all the chooks were out in the pen fairly peacefuly! :-D

... went down a couple of hours later to check for eggs (only one by 12.oohrs today!) Four of the new girls are sat in the small old hen house, and the three old girls are sat on a roost in the pen looking for all the world like the three witches - staring at the door of 'their' hen house!! :shock:

)chu:

melons · Post by **melons** » 09 Oct 2007, 15:12

Oh Willow, what a night mare, have you tried the vinegar & water thing that kat has suggested on another bit of the fourm?
Aren't they just the most ungrateful so & so's, I'm glad I got all five when I did, mind you, it was with the thought that a few might not last long, thankfully all still present & correct.
Goldfish are as foul to introduce others to.
I don't have any suggestions, as it's been years since I introduced hens to each other, at least you have plenty of space & perching area's to get away to.
There must be easier hobbies :wink: :wink: not (f+

Willow · Post by **Willow** » 09 Oct 2007, 17:54

Never mind vinegar.. do you get chicken muzzels?
Today the French copper maran that isnt has one long tail feather left.... and two of the 'layers' have gone on strike. Not realy surprising considering the stress they've all been through... I've closed the pop hole to the old hen house to stop the new girls getting too comfey in there.. If they want 'in' they'll have to go into the delux version and like it!! Tony and I were roaming the woods in the pouring rain this evening, looking for suitable perches for the flaming chickens.. Found some great pieces and arranged them in the run with some 6" screws and a lot of cursing.. The chickens love them ......... still no truce! :(

If they dont sort themselves out soon they'll have a cardboard box each and be on bread and water!!

AnnaB · Post by **AnnaB** » 09 Oct 2007, 18:43

Hi Willow

You know you don't mean it, you love them too much!!

As for the water/vinegar mix it was me who posted it originally. I was told by my rescue coordinator's (John and Monica Hall) that it was the best way to integrate them.

Willow · Post by **Willow** » 10 Oct 2007, 11:46

Anna, what does the vinegar water mix actually do? does it work like a stong B.O. repelent or does it just taste bad?
The jnrs are getting chased a lot but can get out of the way - I dont think they are getting pecked too much any more.. most of the feathers are in the hen house which could well mean that the new girls are pecking each other in there where there's not so much room for escape.
The poor little ones just look so stressed.. yesterday I gave them a treat of wheetabix, live jogurt and marmite mush.... they absolutely loved it.. Mind I had to let the older ladies out of the run into the garden so the new girls could actually have some!
I'm not sure whether just to keep them all in the run for a few days just to get it all over and done with.. Maybe I'm causing more problems by letting the older girls out to free range in the afternoons, but it does give the new girls some respite.. Maybe I'm just making far too much fuss and this is absolutely normal and 'not too bad - as far as chickens go'...
I remember in the dim and distant past my little angels were soothing and fun and a real tonic... sigh......