New hens........HELP!

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treacle

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New hens........HELP!
« on: June 10, 2009, 07:25 »
The death of Bumble prompted me to buy two new hens, a light Sussex and a cuckoo maran, they are 20wk old pullets, but the others keep chasing and pecking them, at the moment they roost in different coops, i darent put them in with the others as i'm afraid they might kill them, the maran could possibly be a bit younger she's so tiny,should i put them in together? would that help them get on? Also iv'e noticed that thier crops are full in the morning,but they are perky enough,i give it a massage should i give them olive oil? Thank you  :)
« Last Edit: June 10, 2009, 08:38 by treacle »

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Vember

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Re: New hens........HELP!
« Reply #1 on: June 10, 2009, 08:49 »
Personally once any new birds I have are ready to go out with the others I just let them get on with it but I am lucky that they have space to get away and hide :)
Can you keep the younger ones in a run next to your other birds so that they can see them but not hurt them?
Leave them in sight of the other birds for a couple of weeks then try them in with the older birds again hopefully all will be ok :)


Re their crops being full there isn't any food they could be getting before you let them out? Have they got grit down?

There is info on impacted crop here that is very useful :)
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=4345.0

If it were me I would not give them any treats and give the massage at night before they went to bed, if it's full again in the morning and they've defo not eaten there is obviously a problem :(

Sarah :)

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treacle

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Re: New hens........HELP!
« Reply #2 on: June 10, 2009, 14:51 »
Thanks Sarah.

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JuneFR

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Re: New hens........HELP!
« Reply #3 on: June 11, 2009, 07:41 »
You have heard of the quote "pecking order" this is where it comes from.  Introduce the hens to the others they will soon sort themselves out.  If there are any injury's move the bird straight away as they are cannablistic and will all start worrying the bird.  This is important if you think that one is too young to go in with the others.  If possible remove it with another bird - the weakest of the flock for two reasons; one for company, the other for when you re-introduce the birds back into the flock. 

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joyfull

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Re: New hens........HELP!
« Reply #4 on: June 11, 2009, 07:48 »
I have just had that problem with two of my hens being right bullies to three of my new hens, causing one to dissapear into the trees or the field next door for a night and stripping one bald on it's back and drawing blood. I removed the two bullies and put them in chicken prison - a small hen house and run (they did have 1.5 square meter run per bird), but being free range they hated that. Kept them there for two days then let them free range for two days and putting them in their prison at night. Meanwhile I reorganised the big shed and moved the perches round. last night all were back together without any bother, the two bullies had to perch slightly lower. have also bought beak rings just in case the problem reoccurs.
Staffies are softer than you think.

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treacle

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Re: New hens........HELP!
« Reply #5 on: June 11, 2009, 10:05 »
Hooray! They are getting on o.k now,i know about pecking order and had introduced a couple of hens in April but they were much older,i suppose it's just not nice to watch when they are so young,so i decided to,well, not watch :wub: and shut them in the run together(30x30) it's done the trick :D thanks for all your advice :)

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matilda duck

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Re: New hens........HELP!
« Reply #6 on: June 11, 2009, 10:20 »
Yeh glad to hear that!!!!   Hen are b**gers.  They can be nasty pieces of work!!!  Even now my lot have scraps!!!   ::)  Chicken eh who'd have em?? :blink:



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