Introducing Newbies

[Aunt Tat]

Greetings all!

It's been an eventful year. One of original girls had some kind of over dose of calcium that caused problems near her ovary and pooping. We got her into the vet just in time. To the tune of $500.

2 wks later, she'd been killed by a racoon.

Her buddy, a broody Barnevelder called "Chicken-A-Rosie" was ostracized by the other 2 chickens and we felt bad for her. So.....we decided to get more chicks.

We got a novagen, dominick (which we already have) along with 2 easter eggers (Esther and Echo) and a Welsummer named Pip who is shaping up to be a handsome ROOSTER!

We opted not to get another Golden Comet which was what our dead girl was; and we opted not to get another Broody Barnevelder, otherwise we would have gotten those for easier integration.

We started introducing them after the 2-wk quarantine and everyone was getting along fine...they were in the house for about 5-10 mins. and we had food, etc.

When they were just about ready to go out, we put the newbies in a short run with food/water and let them hang out. At some point, Rosie and Pip started challenging each other. Rooster hackles were raised (He hasn't even started crowing yet!)

We had built a larger coop (from Urban NW Chicken Coops) and everyone started getting used to the new arrangements. I understand that the chicken that got bullied in the original group becomes a bully herself. And that is what she did/does. (No wounds/blood, but Esther has always been afraid of her own shadow)

The easter eggers decided they'd be better off in the other nesting box at night. So I blocked off both nesting boxes and fille them with bricks to keep the barrier in place. There was a bit of an opening at the top of the barrier and Esther has figured out a way to get into the box!

One the Coop Cam, we saw Rosie pecking the heck out of Esther and I suggested we put the 3 original girls back in their old coop. My husband said "no" because he wants to use the coop as a sick/isolation coop. (oh..and Rosie is brooding, although I'm taking steps to break her, so I don't know if her disposition with change much when she's back to normal)

So..what say you? Keep them all in the coop at night and let them iron things out amongst themselves or separate the "2" flocks and let peace reign?

 

[Debbie292d]

If this keeps up, Esther is going to be in the sick/isolation coop when it should be Rosie.

We have what I call "chicken drama" occasionally too. These are all silkies and everyone thinks they are so cute and cuddly but once in a while, I swear I have a possessed hen or rooster. Right now, I'm dealing with a nasty mean hen. I have no idea what happened as she's 3-4 yrs old. I put her in an isolation pen for a day with vitamin water and that did make her have an attitude adjustment.

Most times though, I just let it work itself out. If I would see one being mean time and time again, then she needs to be segregated. That resets the pecking order too.

 

[Mrs. K]

Can you post pictures of your set up? Especially the inside of your coop with roosting bars, and the outside area.

Space is generally the worst problem. And while people often post plans of going bigger...later, one really needs to reduce the size of the flock NOW. Chickens do not understand the future.

But a lot of time, it is also how that space is set up. Many times I see a run, in which every bird can see every other bird 100% of the time. It is wide open, looking like it has maximized the space. But truthfully it wastes nearly all of the vertical space. Platforms, roosts, allow birds to get away from each other and out of sight is out of mind.

Outside in the run, a lot of clutter can help. Mini walls, pallets up on block so birds can get on top of or underneath. Roosts outside, wind shelters and multiple feeding stations placed so that a bird eating at one station cannot see a bird at another.

As for the problems on the roosting bar - if you are a bit short on space, take a piece of cardboard, thread the roost through it, and tape it to the ceiling. This will let birds roost side by side, in little space and keep them from being pecked all night long. This is especially helpful if you are trying to get littles in to the flock in small spaces. BUT you probably will have to rearrange birds at night. They won't roost where you think they should.

Hope that helps.

Mrs K