they are still not mixing

frenchliving · « **on:** September 06, 2012, 21:32 »

I had 4 birds 2 hens and 2 cockerel (not my choice chick is a boy!!) about one month ago I brought 4 silkies 4 girls (although one is already crowing!!) i left them in a pen on there own for 2 weeks and then allowed them to free range. Even now they will not go near the other hens and although they share the same run (just until I let them out) they have there own sleeping compartments (the two batches of 4)

I have to carry/walk them into the run every night, and you can tell there fearful of going in they poke there head in there sleeping box just to make sure that the others are not there.

I just want a bunch of happy hens, will this happen (obviously bearing in mind I only want to keep one cockerel!)

ANHBUC · « **Reply #1 on:** September 06, 2012, 23:11 »

What breed are the others? If they are large fowl you might find that they don't want to mix. My bantams are only tolerated by my big girls. They are fine when freeranging but I have seperate pens for them on a night so they can't be bullied.

Casey76 · « **Reply #2 on:** September 07, 2012, 09:15 »

I've found that groups of hens which are introduced to another group tend to stay in their little gangs.

In summer last year I had four coops full of hens, and they would all sleep in the same coop every night. The Sabelpoots would trundle round in a little group all on their own, and hardly mixed with the LF at all.

nuzuki · « **Reply #3 on:** September 07, 2012, 13:56 »

Ive noticed this also as casey says. They tolerate each other and all sleep in the same coop but they stay in their own gangs during the day. The older girls are willing to try and mingle with the younger girls but thats it really. The only time they stick together is when im chasing them to try and pick them up.

I have 4 older chickens, 2 cockerals and 2 hens. Then 3 younger chickens, 2 hens with 1 cockerel. The first 2 days were worrying but it all sorted itself out. I kept a close eye on them but as I read previously on here as long as they have somewhere to run to then it will be fine. I dont know if it helps but now and then I put the little ones in the coop throughout the day so they would have the higher ground. It was more so I could inspect them but it could of helped, maybe the bigs chickens saw that they had my seal of approval

Good luck with your merge

frenchliving · « **Reply #4 on:** September 11, 2012, 19:48 »

Thanks for the replies.
AnhBuc - here is a link to pics of my birds they are a mixed bunch.

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=97646.0

The silkies are getting more adventurous and exploring more of the garden, when Im watching them it seems to be the new small cockerel thats giving them the most bullying/attention - which they are not very open too! My young boy is around 10 weeks (still seems eearly to me!) and the girls are around 4 months old, what age will they become receptive!! Maybe they will mix or maybe they will remain his girls?

The garden is big enough for them to have there own space, and they seem to be going into the run better, but not into the coop that they have alone!

Thanks - this chicken keeping lark isnt easy!!

Sassy · « **Reply #5 on:** September 14, 2012, 08:18 »

Come next spring if not before you may well have serious fighting problems with your cockerels. If it were me I would re-home one

frenchliving · « **Reply #6 on:** September 14, 2012, 12:49 »

I am looking to rehome the new cockerel/chick, we brought the silkies to even out the numbers, he is advertised free but Im just waiting for a taker!

The chick/cockerel has taken to sleeping in the silkies pen at night, but they sleep the other end, and im still not sure if one of the silkies if a cockerel or not.

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they are still not mixing

frenchliving

they are still not mixing

ANHBUC

Re: their are still not mixing

Casey76

Re: their are still not mixing

nuzuki

Re: their are still not mixing

frenchliving

Re: they are still not mixing

Sassy

Re: they are still not mixing

frenchliving

Re: they are still not mixing

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