[viettaclark]

I am sitting here with nerves jangling while the chickens get on with the job of integrating.
My 2 new pullets bought last week and kept in a separate coop then allowed to mix when freeranging were taken by a fox.
I got 2 more yesterday and on the advice of the seller put them all in the Eglu cube after dark and left them there with no food or water til 11 am. She said tea time but I cracked!
Anyway, I've put extra feeder/water in the run and they've got to stay in and sort themselves out.
The long stay in the coop hopefully gets over the first hurdle of "stranger" and letting them out when they're hungry and thirsty establishes the pecking order.
Hope I did it for long enough!
Just seen the new White Star going into the cube....hopefully to lay.....

[alancane]

Why did you not continue with keeping them in a separate coop, but close enough to be in view of each other? Apart from the integration issues, it also works as a quarantine process, so that nothing contaminates your own girls.

[OpiumEater]

I have to admit I got three birds, all different breeds, and despite warnings from one of the breeders who said I was doing it the wrong way, it's worked a treat. The largest hen was in the run for two nights, I picked the other two up at the same time (from different breeders) and put them all in for the night. Alice gave a couple of pecks as they entered the run, but then all has been fine. I think, since they were all new to each other, they just got on with it. As Alice was already there, and a big bird to say the least, they let her be boss.

With the odd squabble about who has tuna first, it's (fingers crossed) been great.

I'd say, unless one is getting an absolute thrashing, let them sort it out.

Good luck.

[viettaclark]

It's worked! No blood or feathers anywhere and they all went in tonight peacefully.
I didn't do the same as before (sepsrate coops next to each other) because the fox damaged the little wooden pop hole.
This way has proved much better and quicker and I'm assured the new girls are vaccinated etc. and they seem 100% so I'm not going to worry about that!
My old girls aren't liking the enforced stay in the run but I'm totally paranoid that fox will be back so they can spend some time getting to know each other while I get the male family members to wee round the garden..

[viettaclark]

The White Star has integrated well but the Speckledy who is only 17 weeks barely makes it out of the coop. No blood has been drawn but the poor thing's life is being made a misery.
I let them out to freerange yesterday and she was still nervous about coming down. When she showed her head the Bluebelle threatened.
I put some water and pellets in the coop because I was worried about her not eating but I suppose that's not the thing to do because she'll never come out!!
Bedtime is a tussle with the Bluebelle which lasts a while with the other new one waiting to go up when it's sorted.
Hopefully it will sort out....she's being very meek so the others have no reason to hurt her.
I'll let them out earlier today and see if she comes out.
She's very healthy but being the youngest and not in lay makes her the bottom of the pecking order.
How long does the internal wrangling go on?

[viettaclark]

AND I've had no eggs for 2 days!!!

[LittleRedHen]

They have their minds on other things now!

[joyfull]

the sorting out of the pecking order can take several weeks 

[viettaclark]

 

[daisy1990]

I would seriously think about getting an electric fence if you can.  We bought one to circle around our girls and it is worth it for peace of mind

[viettaclark]

Speckledy came out of the run and was terrorised so flew up on top of the coop where she has been for 2 hours drinking rainwater and eating pellets I put up there for her.
I need to keep up her food or she'll get weak and things might get nasty!

[Beano]

I find integrating new ones very stressfull and it's never as easy as you thing it's going to be. It takes about a month for things to calm down i'm afraid.

[OpiumEater]

And when you think it's all sorted 

Alice is still the head, but Dorcus and Bernadette have switched places. I suppose with only three, they can't be too much moving about.

Good luck with your girls, I've ordered anti-pecking spray from Omlet just incase, I'll let you know how I get on.

Best wishes

Christine

[viettaclark]

Bad times today! Seems like every time I go down to see them the oldies go for the young ones. Today it was 3 on 1 and the little white star got a right pecking ending up with a ripped comb and blood all over her head. They go mad, don't they?
She is fine (laid an egg and came out to freerange) but I tried cleaning with salt water . She didn't like that!!
Doesn't seem too bad....there's alot of blood in the comb, isn't there?
I think I shall let them out to freerange earlier so they're not penned up for too long.
Will that work, d'you think?
My nerves are shredded just like her comb......
And yet they all troop in to the coop at night!

[Lindeggs]

Poor little white star!  I think you're right about more free-range time being better.  Or if they must be penned up is there anywhere the white star can go where she will be out of line-of-sight of the others?  Can you construct a barrier of potted plants, or branches, or something she can hide behind?  (Just make sure she can't get cornered - so for example don't make a tunnel where a bully could be at each end.)

Also now that blood has been drawn do you have any purple spray to hide the redness?  The sight of red blood does seem to turn the sweetest chickens into nasty little cannibals!  :blink: