Day two of integrating

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ghost61

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Day two of integrating
« on: January 07, 2018, 17:53 »
Trying to mix our birds together to make it easier for our neighbours to feed them when we're away.  Yesterday was day one, and what a failure.  One of the oldies cried her eyes out, bleating all over the garden, making a racket.  So back into the run they went, much to the chagrin of the other oldies, who showed their displeasure by pecking the whinger on the neck a few times.

Today was a relative success, the whinger having learnt her lesson, but as she is the aggressive one, she had to chase and peck the newbies just to show who's boss.  At bedtime they went their separate ways I to their own houses (they are next to each other and the run is divided into two, so they see each other all the time).

I'm hoping that after about a couple of weeks, all will have settled down.  Not bothered if they continue to sleep separately - the newbies are in an eglu cube and the oldies in an eglu go - given their age I doubt if the oldies feel inclined to leap up the ladder into the cube  :lol:

Here's hoping they can be united in the run soon!

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New shoot

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Re: Day two of integrating
« Reply #1 on: January 07, 2018, 20:06 »
Fingers crossed Ghost. There is always a lot of noise made at first - the indignity of being asked to share your run and so on  ::)  They generally work it out  :)

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ghost61

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Re: Day two of integrating
« Reply #2 on: January 08, 2018, 12:59 »
Thanks New Shoot.  Trouble is they are absolutely silent, with just the odd neck peck now and then!  Got my eye on one of the newbies as she is in a soft moult and is also bottom of the pecking order - lots of food out to stop squabbling!

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John

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Re: Day two of integrating
« Reply #3 on: January 08, 2018, 19:44 »
Compared with the sound and fury of introducing cats, chickens are a doddle (usually) :)

Distraction is a good way to stop battles going too far - might be worth popping some treats down.
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ghost61

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Re: Day two of integrating
« Reply #4 on: January 09, 2018, 18:24 »
Treats and lots of feeding stations so that the aggressive one can't stop them all from eating!  So funny to watch her go from feeder to feeder shoving the newbies out of the way!

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ghost61

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Re: Day two of integrating
« Reply #5 on: January 13, 2018, 13:47 »
Integration was put on hol due to Popsy, one of the younger hens having a prolapse.  She died this morning, bless her.  Hens are quite subdued - I showed them Popsy's body.  Popsy was on her own a lot due to problems last winter, with bird flu and her buddy dying so as a single hen we didn't think we could integrate her, given that one of the older birds is very aggressive.

We have put them out in the garden together to day whilst I disinfected the hen houses just in case.  All fairly quiet, just the odd squabble over food from Toppers the aggressive hen.  Planning on taking the run separator down sometime this week so we can see how they get on in the run together.  So down to five hens - the run is 10 sq metres, with perches and two houses, lots of feeding and water stations, so fingers crossed!

Miss Popsy so some - she was such a good girl having been on her own for so long - she loved the company of the newbies, but was always a bit of a billy no mates, not having been a founder me,Ber of any flock.  Bless her.

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John

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Re: Day two of integrating
« Reply #6 on: January 13, 2018, 16:14 »
Really sorry to hear that news  :(

You did your best and you know your birds have a much better life than they would on a poultry farm.


 

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