Integration progress

[MaureenHall]

As you know, I got a lovely early birthday present of 2 Black Star and 2 Bluebelle. I've had them 11 days today, and over the past few days I've had a go at integrating them with the old ex-batts. I started off just before their bedtime on Sunday, opened up their run so they could get into the main run. Squawking, clucking, absolute bedlam!!! The oldies really bullied the newbies. Tried again on Monday for 10 minutes, same thing happened. Tuesday I didn't bother, it was my birthday and I was having a slob-out day. Yesterday I decided to start clearing up some branches in the run and do a general tidy up so I let the newbies out again, but this time I broke one of my rules and gave them all loads of mixed corn to keep them occupied. It seemed to work, only a bit of half-hearted bullying but the newbies are still very wary of Hazel's gang. Anyway, this morning I left their run open so they could go out if they wanted and so far (touch wood) all's quiet on the western front! All the newbies are sticking together though, safety in numbers I think. Hope I've cracked it anyway

[di]

Fingers crossed for you!!Sounds like you've cracked it though!!Several weeks on from introducing our newbies they still seem more than aware of where they're at in the pecking order(down the bottom bless them!),but the bullying's not bad & I was really excited the other day that the most timid plucked up the courage to go share a sunflower head with the big girls~& she wasn't chased off!!
I still have several containers for their main food & a couple of water pots available~seems to prevent the older girls getting too greedy!
Good Luck That it all continues to work out!!(have you had a coloured egg yet?plum blush??)

[MaureenHall]

No eggs from the newbies yet, they're still a bit too young. I'll post the news when it happens all in capitals and with piccies