[Oliveview]

Hope this does not sound really stupid :oops:   Would the older hens accept hens that were different to them?  We have what I take to be RHR (gingery colour and the others are lightish ginger/cream) Trouble is, I can´t tell which hens are the oldest (and not laying now). I thought if we introduced new pol hens say white or black ones at least I could tell the difference once they all get to the same size.
3 weeks ago we were getting 7-8 eggs a day (one day even 10) now we are down to 2-3 a day, that is for the past 2 weeks.  The older hens are around 18 months old and the younger ones around 7-8 months old. (5 of each)
Pamela
ps neighbour will dispatch the older ones if needed

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi Pamela!

If you look at Babe's set up, she not only has different colours, but different breeds, and they get on fine.

I think it depends on the individual hens sometimes!  We tried to introduce the 2 smaller Amberlinks to the 5 older Amberlinks and Goldlines (so we've got white and brown hens running together) but the 10 older ones made the 2 smaller ones lives a misery!  Wouldn't let them near the food or water!!!!

[peggyprice]

Hi Pamela,

I've got five, all different - the two newbies were introduced about two weeks ago, and although there's been a little bit of bullying I believe that was much more to do with them being a) new and b) younger than because of colour or breed - one's grey and the other's white, while the older three are brown, brown & gold and black ....  

The grey got it worst, but I'm sure that was because when she got chased she ran very fast round the run several times & created a rumpus, whereas the white one just kind of went and hid and didn't make a fuss - so she didn't draw attention to herself :roll:

For me though the big advantage of having different colours is that they are also different breeds, therefore their eggs look different - it took me a couple of weeks to work out who was laying what, but it really helps now as I can keep an eye on making sure they're all in working order ...

[Brambles]

I introduced two large very gingery coloured girls to my silkie hen and cockerel...  put them in at night and when I let them out in the morning there was a little fluttering and squalking, they kept their distance for a few hours, but bit by bit they all found their own level and are just fine now 12 days on.

[nettynoodles1]

i have no  probs mixing different colours/breeds apart from the normal squabbles sorting out whos  boss.

an easy way to tell them apart if they're all one breed tho is diff colour leg rings i buy them in packs of 10, 2 of each colour and just make a note of whos in what colour.

[Poolfield2]

I also have all different breeds of chickens so I can tell at a glance who is missing and all the eggs are different so I know who is laying. There are always a few days of settling in with new girls but they settle down in the end. I find it best to put the new girls into the henhouse after the others have gone to roost in the evening.

Last year I had to introduce 6 week olds into an existing group, I adapted a large plastic storage box with loads of ventilation and put it inside the henhouse at night and kept them in a run in the day until they were big enough to run with "big girls". Then I left the storage crate open and they went to roost with the others when they were ready.

[babe]

i have 12 different breeds and all sorts of colours living happily together.

but they do have their own garden to free range in, space is the most important thing if mixing breeds.

and the facilities to seperate first and if a problem arises.

but they look absolutely wonderful all the different girls scratching around. and i know who's who.