Introducing new hen to existing flock help...

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MrTwang

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Introducing new hen to existing flock help...
« on: December 14, 2012, 21:42 »
On Wednesday I got a call from a friend telling me a fox had come and culled 4 of his 5 hens.
The one that got away is now at mine in my walk in run... I have 6 existing hens separated into their own run.

I collected the new girl on Wednesday evening and put her straight to bed. Idea being that she has Thursday and Friday to get to know the others through the bars...

This morning I let them have a little nose while giving them a treat of corn... The new girl got feisty (she's only tiny and the smallest) and had a go at a few of them. Then she had a go at Borneville the brave. Met her match and got a little cut on her comb. She's ok but i have questions please...

Is it too early to let them free range together under supervision?

Is it too soon to let her out of the run? She has clipped wings but will she know she is home? I don't want her trying to scarper...

Just to add, tonight I put her to bed with the others. They are docile as it's dark but I will have to get up while it's still dark and open the run (don't want them waking up together in the run as it's asking for trouble)


Really appreciate any input.

Many Thanks,
Paul.

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emotion-2003

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Re: Introducing new hen to existing flock help...
« Reply #1 on: December 14, 2012, 22:02 »
Hi Paul,
Really soryy to hear about fox attact of your friends hens.
I have to coop with long run.Whenever i get new hens i put thenm in seperate coop and run for minimum 1 week.my advice if you put them together you have to have big run.because when they have attact by others they will have enough space to run away.and i believe when you put them together first 3-4 days they will be in coop and won't go out often because of others will not let them to eat food and drink water.so make sure that they have some food and water in coop as well.
but as i wrote if you have chance keep them seperately for 1 week.i wouldn't let them free range now.i think its too early
good luck

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MrTwang

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Re: Introducing new hen to existing flock help...
« Reply #2 on: December 14, 2012, 22:44 »
Thanks for the advice, it's all kept onboard.

They do have separate food and drink points so that won't be a problem. I think I might just keep them separate for a little while longer. Tomorrow morning I'll lift her out of the coop and put her back into the other side before the others get their brains into gear...

Next weekend will have to be play time...

Any other ideas or input is gladly received.


I took the new girl on that night as this is the second fox attack due to them leaving the run open...
I didn't trust them to lock her away...  >:(

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ANHBUC

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Re: Introducing new hen to existing flock help...
« Reply #3 on: December 15, 2012, 10:03 »
Well done in giving her a safe home.  I am sure she will settle in but it usually takes a while. 

I have put 4 bantams in my walk in run with my 4 big hens this week.  They have all freeranged together before and the bantams just squawk and dart out of the way when they get a peck.  I have greenhouse shelving and a table in the run so they have all levels to get out from under their feet.  I have put a feeder on the table for them.  On a night the bantams head for the rafters so I go and take them down and into the coop with the big hens.  They are still not keen but I am sure they will adjust.  I did see a little blood on one of the feeders but on checking the girls couldn't see any injuries.  I leave the coop door open so they can get out as soon as it starts getting light.  The only problem I have had is that one of the bantams found a cosy corner behind the quail house to lay her egg yesterday.  I had let them out to freerange and only realised as I heard her rosey and thought she was stuck.  It it the hardest place she could find for me to collect the egg so she is probably going broody again!!!   
Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens!
Bagpuss RIP 1992 - June 2012, 1 huge grass carp (RIP "Jaws" July 2001 - December 2011), 4 golden orfe, 1 goldfish and 1 fantail fish (also huge)! plus 4 Italian quail, 1 Japanese quail, 1 Rosetta quail.

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Sassy

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Re: Introducing new hen to existing flock help...
« Reply #4 on: December 15, 2012, 11:03 »
It is hard to introduce only one chook to an established group. The best thing you can do is to put out extra drinking and feeding stations as that is what most of the squabbling is about. When you do put them together make sure you have wound powder and purple spray to hand just in case ::)
Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted!!

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MrTwang

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Re: Introducing new hen to existing flock help...
« Reply #5 on: December 19, 2012, 23:23 »
Thanks for all the help on here.

Just to update..... We collected her on the Wednesday, let them spend 3 days watching each other through the run.
Friday night I put her into the coop with the rest, I also got up before dawn on Saturday to remove her again as I didn't want any morning fighting whilst I was in bed...
Saturday the girls were free ranging while little Pearl was kept in the run. When I say run, I put her in the main run! It got to about 15:30ish and she went to bed into the nest box of the Eglu. I let the others into the run and they went up just before 16:00... So far so good...

I kept watch on my chair in case the feathers went flying! Only one of my Light sussex went into the nest box with her (Went to the other end), The rest stayed on the roosting bars.

Sunday morning I went down at 7am (breakfast time for them) and opened the run as they were just coming out of the coop. Still no fighting...  :)

I left them and went back to bed. My thought was I they try it on then I'll hear them and go down. But they had the whole garden to roam around in...
When I went down later I noticed that she was a bit of a loner and wasn't part of the click yet....

Roll forward Tuesday and tonight, There are now 5 girls in the nest box with tiny Pearl in the middle!  :blink:
They have accepted her with minimal fuss.

I have found out that she has no idea what corn is. Has never had it before and won't come anywhere near me! Unlike Dalia who likes to sit on my shoulder like a parrot.   :D

The pecking order is not yet complete. No trouble arises BUT... Dalia (Cotswold Legbar) should be number 2... She avoids Pearl as if she is above her.
Now Pearl avoids my 2 Light sussex and Bornville the bully Burford Brown. Dalia has command over my light sussex.... I can see the light sussex kicking off at Dalia before long to claim their place. I'm hoping it's because she has just gone through the moult and is under weight. Give her time I'm thinking.

Well, I can't bore you all night long. Somebody please say something just so I know this has been read, even if you call me an idiot!  :tongue2:

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Annen

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Re: Introducing new hen to existing flock help...
« Reply #6 on: December 19, 2012, 23:42 »
I'm reading it,  ;)I haven't got hens and don't intend to, but its interesting reading about their behaviour. I had no idea that so much could go wrong!
Anne

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nuzuki

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Re: Introducing new hen to existing flock help...
« Reply #7 on: December 20, 2012, 17:48 »
Its all interesting reading Mr Twang  :blink: I have introduced 2 new ones to my flock but not one on their own. I would expect carnage. I think your right to introduce them as the end of the day when they are tired and cant be bothered to fight maybe thats what helped speed up the process. When I introduced my 2 to the flock they were sectioned off in the run with their own coop for 2 weeks at least (mainly as they were on growers pellets and the others were on layers). Even though I have taken the dividing fence down they still go back to their own coop at night and stay away from the others as much as they can during the day. I hope im not encouraging some kind of lord of the flies malarky.

I have one light sussex hatched this morning on its own so far, so if its a girl I shall be introducing the one in a similar fashion to how you have done thats if it doesnt die of loneliness first.

Good luck with Pearl :happy:

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Sassy

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Re: Introducing new hen to existing flock help...
« Reply #8 on: December 21, 2012, 08:51 »
I'm reading it,  ;)I haven't got hens and don't intend to, but its interesting reading about their behaviour. I had no idea that so much could go wrong!

Don't forget though that generally people only post when they have a problem. Most flocks are trouble free most of the time! :)

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helens-hens

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Re: Introducing new hen to existing flock help...
« Reply #9 on: December 21, 2012, 11:37 »
I was down to 1 hen last week (Florence - she is about 4-5 months old) and we got 2 new girls who are about 12/13 weeks old to join her. I was a little concerned as to how they would get on, particularly as they are a fair bit younger, but so far so good.

We didn't get back till late afternoon when it was dark so they were put straight into the hen house to join Florence. The breeder gave us a tip of either dusting all the girls with a little louse powder or give them a slight 'misting' of a solution of vinegar & water, so that they all smell the same. We went the vinegar / water route & I don't know if it helped but there were no problems that night.

Overall they have settled in quite well (hope I am not speakinbg to soon!). I appreciate though that the age factors & also the fact there are only 3 of them probably helped too!
Helen

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symonep

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Re: Introducing new hen to existing flock help...
« Reply #10 on: December 21, 2012, 14:40 »
Wow you are lucky they accepted her so quickly, it must just be my hens who are grumpy and mean to new comers  :D

Gained an allotment on the 19th June 08, 135ft by 40ft! eekk. Finally after 4 years it is looking like an allotment and not a jungle

We have 5 lovely hens in the garden, fish, 2 dogs and 2 canaries

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ehs284

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Re: Introducing new hen to existing flock help...
« Reply #11 on: December 23, 2012, 08:52 »
Mr Twang, that sounds good and pretty much fits with our experience. We've also found a similar situation when a sick bird has been away from the flock for a while. Nice description of events from a caring person.



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