[kzaba]

I have just bought three x battery hens and rehomed a bantam cockerel. Everything was going fine but now the girls won't let him out of the hen house, if he does come out they attack him and drive him in again

[joyfull]

could you not let him out first? How old is he?

[kzaba]

hi
thanks for replying, don't really know much about him or how old he is. he was quite lively when we picked him up, and he's tried to escape a couple of times as well - before the bullying started. he was crowing nicely in the morning too.
I'll try to get him out first tomorrow and see if that helps, at least he'll get a bit of fresh air. he's been indoors all day today.
 Its odd, they sit in the house with him fine, not fighting indoors at all, its just when he tries to join them outside. maybe its our fault for calling him Arnold:)
We're a bit all at sea as we've never had chickens before so very greatful for help.

[scabs]

Sorry, I'm really new to this too kzaba, but is it ok to put bantams in with the bigger girls? Is that maybe why they're going for him?

[dizzylizzie]

I would pull him out, he will be miserable sitting in the coop all day-poor thing, apart from the fact he needs to stretch , eat and drink. Are they in the garden or a run?

[kzaba]

Hi because they're new, they're in a run on grass. We hope to go free range once they settle in. I did get him to come out a couple of times but the last time we tried the three girls trapped him up against the fence and we had to step in to seperate them.
Ii did wonder about the size but the rehoming centre didn't think it would be a problem.

[dizzylizzie]

Ex-batts can be tough cookies....they have been 'inside' afterall and needed to be 'ard' to survive, but on a more serious note you will have to keep your eye on them together. If he was mine, i would let him free range in the garden with food and water for a few weeks. That way they can all still see each other, so they will get used to each other. You say they are fine at night, so thats not a problem, and when you let the others free range, you will be letting them out into his territory and things may not be as bad

[joyfull]

well I was just about to post the very same thing as what Lizzie had put (although I didn't put about ex batts being 'ard  ) so have now deleted my typing   

[scabs]

Oooh... does that mean I can get a couple of Silver Dutch Bantams? 

[dizzylizzie]

i like your thinking

[scabs]

I'm going to need a bigger run... 

[dizzylizzie]

Nahhh, put a tv/playstation in there, the kids will move out, you then can use their rooms and you'll have room for ducks...ducks are fab so are chucks, oh and turkeys, turkeys are coolllll

[joyfull]

don't forget the guinea fowl, they are super duper - the neighbours may not like it but who cares 

[kzaba]

Wow so much help! brilliant thanks.
 Will give the ranging free a chance and see if that helps the little chap. I fully agree with the 'ard' battery birds, they certainly have attitude, but then its the names again - the ring leader and biggest has been named 'turkey' by my eldest. I reckon its got ideas above its size now

Also I fully agree about ginuea fowl. That's what got us started! next door had a pair, who popped round to sleep in our holly tree everynight. Quite noisy, but fun - what was very nosiy was when they raised their 6 young and taught them to sleep in the tree too. Better than a guard dog anyday.

[kzaba]

So far so good. We decided not to go free range with him as we still have a couple of fencing issues to sort out to keep him in the garden. So instead we've put him in  large dog carrier cage right up next to the girls.
 Point of warning - Bantams can fit through the larger holes at the bottom of a dog carrier if you take the tray out
Now, back in the carrier, carrier firmly on the ground to avoid repeat,  he is happily eating and staring at the girls and they are happily eating and staring at him. We'll keep going with this for a few days and hopefully this will sort it.