Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: HLT on August 04, 2008, 09:13
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Two weeks after picking up our 3 ex-bats, I decided to try putting the stronger one of them in with my other 3 chooks - they have separate runs along side each other. The ex-bat is always parading up and down looking eagerly in at her neighbouring chooks and she seems quite strong and well in herself. Unfortunately within minutes of putting her in, 2 of my chooks gave her a good hiding and the poor old girl did nothing to stand up for herself. :( I knew there'd be a few ruffled feathers, but wasn't prepared for the severity of the attack on her (especially as my chooks are normally quite placid and are very tame!) and it was upsetting to see her being picked on and desparately pushing herself against the netting to try to get back to her own run! So after only 2 minutes she was put back into the safety of her own home!
I'm now quite worried about integrating all 6 chickens. My first line of thought was to introduce the ex-bats gradually to get my 3 chooks used to the idea, but maybe I should wait a few more weeks until the ex-bats are up to full strength and have gained a bit of confidence and then introduce all of them at once? I know there will be 'feathers flying', but at least it would be an even battle this time and hopefully by then they'll start fighting back!
Someone has suggested that maybe I'll never be able to integrate them and will have to keep the ex-bats separate. Would be grateful for any advice!
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Er what i have been told to do is put them together in the coop at night and leave them for the night. I would suggest that you put all the X Batts together at the same time. Therefore not one chicken will bare the brunt and they will have more that one target. Bare with. After two weeks of my X Batts being accepted they are now pecking 7 shades out of three new girls that I introduced this weekend past. So it wont take long before they find the pecking order.
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i'd give them a bit longer, then try putting one of the bullies in with the ex batts, that way she may go down to the bottom of the ladder in the pecking order, as she'll then be the new girl so to speak, then if all goes well introduce the other two one by one, i have 29 birds and they all bully Lonely, i've tried everything but had to face up to the fact there's nothing i can do but to keep her seperate.
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And get her a lovely pink t shirt so she knows she's special too :D
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actually Kate Loney's t shirt is white, (well was white, sort of grey now, vanish didn't do what it said on the tin) Evies was pink, she does have rather a nice pink crop top tho (she wears for special occations)
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:roll: