[bigpenguin]

My next door neighbour who had four chickens has just got a dog and the dog although a puppy has already killed two of them. I offered to put the remaining two into our little flock (4 chicks) but as soon as I did, Ragu my black chicken started on one of them (I thought it was only cokckrels that fought like that) Any Advice

Thanks Frazy - what will happen to them when I put the to bed tonight as I only have the one sleeping pen?

[frazzy]

all chickens will fight for there postion in the flock you should of introduced them slowly . they should be left in a large cage or run so they can see each othere for a week or 2 so they get used to seeing each other but cant get to each other .

[Fenland Girl]

Hi, when we had to separate our chickens we put a cat carrier (plastic closed-in type) in the separate pen for them to sleep in, and leant some old bit of boarding over it to make it a bit more cosy. Not ideal but a quick short term solution and they did use it.

Then again, if you wait until its dark and put the new ones in with the old ones, you may find they don't fight because they're all sleepy. Just keep an eye though.

[chickenjohnok]

Put them in at nigth and place them on the perch to roost with the others , then spray the lot with a fine spray of water and vinegar 50/50 and with a little luck thay will be accepted.

[Aunt Sally]

Put them in at nigth and place them on the perch to roost with the others , then spray the lot with a fine spray of water and vinegar 50/50 and with a little luck thay will be accepted.

That's interesting John, what does that do, disguise their individual odour  :?:

[chickenjohnok]

Yes thats right, chickens have a fantastice sence of smell. I have 2 chickens that are totally blind , But when the food goes in, thay find it straight away. At nitht when the chicks go to roost, if you put a newcomer at the side of 1 of the original flock, thay will have a pop at it all night long, but I was told years back ( IM 59 ) to try the vinegor and its always seemed to work for me ( this is how I introduce my shamo hens to the new husbands. :oops: )

[Aunt Sally]

Very interesting John :!:  Not something I've heard before, but I'll certainly keep it in mind for the future