stop fighting

chelle · « **on:** February 07, 2007, 08:40 »

Had 2 pullets seperated from 4 hens for 10 days now, although they dont bother them at night they all sleep in same coop, tried yesterday to sneak them in big run and for a few minutes all was fine, then a loud screech and all 4 swooped 1 pullets scattered indoors the other was being pecked to death until i got amoungst them little one was bleeding at top of beak, will they ever accept them?

muntjac · « **Reply #1 on:** February 07, 2007, 10:29 »

how are you acclimatising them ? they must be able to see each other even if its between wire panels . they will get used to each other at some point then .if they are taken out of view every day then the fighting will continue .. if its the same when they are seeing each other then find the resident hen who runs the show and take her away for a few days on her own 4 days , when she returns she will be at the bottom of the pecking order and have to bow to the others

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #2 on:** February 07, 2007, 10:30 »

Introducing new chooks can be grim !

Do they have sight of eachother during the day ? It's best if they do !

Another way, if the established chooks are being vicious, is to give the usual run to the new girls for a few days and keep to old girs out but still in sightof them. The new girls will be on home teritory when they are finally let back in.

Good luck

chelle · « **Reply #3 on:** February 07, 2007, 15:06 »

first thing every morning take pullets out of coop put them in their own run which is basically a meshed frame touching the existing run so they can all see each other, even when i throw feed in, i do it so theyre an inch away from each other, that is fine, its as if the older ones dont care about them, until the mesh barrier is removed then all hell breaks loose, dont know who the instigator is cos i can only tell the difference of one them, and its not her,

muntjac · « **Reply #4 on:** February 07, 2007, 15:14 »

ok do as sally suggests n take all the old bird out n put the new ones in leave the others out of the hut for a night .cover the pen with a sheet of plastic or something...make sure they have water

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #5 on:** February 07, 2007, 16:51 »

Yup, you have to make the old girls feel as if they are the new comers

chelle · « **Reply #6 on:** February 08, 2007, 12:45 »

thanks for advice, will try it out

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