Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: jill247 on March 19, 2012, 08:17

Title: introducing more hens to my other 6 hens
Post by: jill247 on March 19, 2012, 08:17

My friend has 4 hens that are over 2yrs old and as my friend is having a baby she cant look after them as she could before so she has asked me if i would look after them with my 6 hens who ive had a year in may. If I bring the 4 hens and leave them in there own cope for a couple of days before I let them out with mine would it be the right thing to do. I feel very nervous about this and how mine would take to the other 4. All advise welcome.  :)

Title: Re: introducing more hens to my other 6 hens
Post by: kegs on March 19, 2012, 10:47

Will they be in two separate runs for a while until they get used to each other?  Do you know if any of the chickens have been vaccinated as it's unwise to mix vaccinated with unvaccinated birds?

Title: Re: introducing more hens to my other 6 hens
Post by: jill247 on March 19, 2012, 11:00

hiya dont know if they have been vaccinated she got ex battery hens mine have been vaccinated was going to let them mix in there own time. Not given her a answer yet to take them but she knows i would look after them well.

Title: Re: introducing more hens to my other 6 hens
Post by: kegs on March 19, 2012, 11:52

It's my understanding that battery hens are vaccinated too so that would be one less problem.  So long as you keep them apart for a while and they have plenty of space to escape when you do try to introduce them I can't foresee any problem apart from the obvious initial skirmishes when they sort out the pecking order.  Make sure you get purple spray in just in case there are any cuts and fights.

Title: Re: introducing more hens to my other 6 hens
Post by: jill247 on March 19, 2012, 15:05

thankyou for your information im going to fetch them now thankyou.