3 Newbies arriving tomorrow

[frias]

Just had a phone call to say due to cancellation I can have 3 ex-batts tomorrow. When they arrive it will might be too early to put them to bed as the 3 old girls will still be free ranging. Shall I keep them in the house until dark and them put them in the coop with the others? Will try spraying them all with diluted vinegar and then hope that Sunday morning they all get on. If not I am going to have to make a temporary split in the run and give the newbies a place to hide. I bought new sack of pellets yesterday but didn't get any layers mash as didn't know I was getting new girls so quick. As pellets supplier is 10 miles away would ground up pellets be OK for newbies?

[NAS]

hi Frias.

why the vinegar?

[Nicos]

Hi there- what excitement!!!....hope they sort themselves out quickly!

( I though ground up pellets were mash anyway????)

If they're hungry- they'll eat!!!

[Hans Mum]

hi Frias.

why the vinegar?

its to stop them pecking each other and drawing blood i did it for a few days when i got mine until they established their natural pecking order

i'd put the new girls where the others can see them but not get to them like youve said dividing the run off..then when its dark and your girls have gone to roost you can lift the new girls into the coop. I whizzed up some pellets in the food processor for the first couple of days but i think they'd have gone staight onto pellets anyway and they soon found out they like corn!!! hope they settle in quickly

[MaureenHall]

ooo exciting Feed them what you've got plus a bit of poultry spice. If they don't seem keen, make the pellets into a porridge with some warm water and add some extra goodies for a couple of days, then cut the treats out till an hour before bed. Good luck, enjoy

[frias]

I think the vinegar is so they all smell the same. Never tried it before as never had to introduce new hens to old but have heard it works. None of my 3 old girls are dominent. Our 'boss' hen died a couple of months ago and none of the others have taken over. They really beat up a pigeon that went in their run though and I think they would have killed it if I hadn't intervened.
My older ex-batts had layers mash at first and it took ages to get them on pellets. They just wouldn't eat them. If I remember the mash looked like powder with the odd bit of grain in. I'll grind some pellets and hope the newbies will eat it. I don't just want them even more upset than they are going to be anyway.
I am a born worry guts and have to have something to worry about! lol

[Snadger]

Well I never.........I don't usually put vinegar on my chicken......just salt and pepper!

ACTUALLY I may be getting three unwanted ISA browns myself tomorrow. One of the guys at the allotments is getting into purebreeds and is sick of the hybrids.
Had a look at them today and they appear to be young birds but quite emaciated. Only one has a reddened comb and my ISA's are about twice the size. Because I have a broody in her hut in the run I can't seperate them so maybe the vinegar ploy may be an option! That will bring my tally to 24 less of course yellowlegs and plus the 12 eggs I have under the broody...........but I aint counting my chickens...........

[HayleyB]

Crikey Snadge you're getting as bad as me

[Hilary B]

I think the vinegar is so they all smell the same. Never tried it before as never had to introduce new hens to old but have heard it works. None of my 3 old girls are dominent. Our 'boss' hen died a couple of months ago and none of the others have taken over. They really beat up a pigeon that went in their run though and I think they would have killed it if I hadn't intervened.
My older ex-batts had layers mash at first and it took ages to get them on pellets. They just wouldn't eat them. If I remember the mash looked like powder with the odd bit of grain in. I'll grind some pellets and hope the newbies will eat it. I don't just want them even more upset than they are going to be anyway.
I am a born worry guts and have to have something to worry about! lol

Mixing the new and old ones will probably get the new ones eating pellets in next to no time. They will copy the others. Mix them at 'bedtime' (keep them wherever is practical until then) and then let them get on with it. It's equal numbers, and they will get over squabbling fairly soon (but keep an eye out for if ONE of the newcomers happens to take the fancy of the others as a target ALL the time).