Odd Birds.

min200 · « **on:** March 05, 2010, 18:32 »

Ok then the exbatts have been here for nearly a week.

They have fought each other no end and look tatty as anything even with me using anti-peck spray.

One chuck practically lives inside the coop and another prefers to sleep down the side of it and has to be put to bed every night by me :blink:

Having said all that we are getting plenty of eggs, thirteen so far, so is this part of the normal settling in process?

dizzylizzie · « **Reply #1 on:** March 05, 2010, 18:48 »

Hi, dont worry-its called a pecking order for a reason

These girls wont know each other so they will take a while to settle. As regards them looking a bit tatty, it may not all be caused by them pulling feathers out of each other. The shock of the move may have caused them to start a partial moult. Also what are you feeding them? I feed my ex-batts the smallholder ex-batt food. At first i fed them crumb, then i moved them onto the pellets. We read results of a study done and it said the hens fed on the ex-batts fought less and i must say , i do have a very calm flock

Do they perch at night or sleep in nest boxes?, and when they fight is it with each other , or are there particular ones that fight more than the others?
They may be eating feathers because they are low in protien, maybe give them a protien boost...meal worms, etc. Hope it settles down soon

min200 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 05, 2010, 18:58 »

Hi Dizzie,

Im feeding them on a mix of layers mash and payers pellets. There has been the odd bit of veg but only a bit and they are eating like pigs!!

There seems to be one main player in the pecking and she just attacks the others constantly! Two of them perch at night and two seem to sleep either in the nest box or in the corner of the coop.

I am just about to pop out and collect a large 8ft x 4ft run to attach to their main run to give some more space which Im hoping will help a bit. I cannot let them free range yet as I have not clipped their wings and the dog still thinks they are a new toy sitting at the front of the run wagging her tail and wihining to play! (Even the nose pecking has not put her off

)

dizzylizzie · « **Reply #3 on:** March 05, 2010, 19:29 »

Hi, i would imagine the extra space will make a difference

. Ok, if its just one, then it sounds like she is trying to establish herself as the boss, this will probably settle down once the others accept she is the boss and she realises she dosent have to keep proving it! Of course she may be just a bully, i had one and she made the lives of the others a nightmare. After about a month i decided enough was enough and was going to isolate her to reduce her status in the flock, but she was sadly killed by a dog

i would be tempted to let them out for a wander (minus the dog), BUT i dont know your set up so its not for me to say. I have to say, i havent clipped my ex-batts wings, never needed to they dont attempt to escape

Do they go in the coop by themselves yet? if so that would be a good time to let them out for the first time. I let mine out about an hour before bedtime. They stayed quite close to the coop and took themselfs to bed so i didnt have any stressfull chasing them around....it may work for you, it may not. You know your birds the best

The eating should settle, once they realise the food stays all day and they dont have to fight for it they should be fine. Do they have things to do in the run to keep them occupied, mine love digging and scratting, keeps them busy for ages

. Im sure they will settle down, dont worry and keep us posted on their progress please

beulah59 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 06, 2010, 08:46 »

Ex-batts are unlikely to be able to fly for some time yet .. if ever. Mine only ever think in two dimensions while the others hop up and down from perches etc the ex-batts stay firmly on the ground!

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Odd Birds.

min200

Odd Birds.

dizzylizzie

Re: Odd Birds.

min200

Re: Odd Birds.

dizzylizzie

Re: Odd Birds.

beulah59

Re: Odd Birds.

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