Bullies

[Squizz]

We got two more girls yesterday, Calder Rangers, Nuzzle and Scratch We put them in the hen house when the others went to bed last night and all seemed well but this morning our girls will not let the new ones out of the house This is the first time I've introduced new chickens. Is this normal? Once Nuzzle and Scratch are inside the house they are left alone

[RedThorn]

If you can fence of a small section preferably next to the old girls so they can still see each other, put the new girls here and then re-introduce again at night. Give it a couple of days and then you should be ok.

[MaureenHall]

Yes, absolutely normal unfortunately. Have you any spare chicken wire or mesh of some sort so you can put up a temporary division for the new girls to go into during the day? I usually do that, especially if all the chooks are sleeping in the same house at night. A couple of days and they'll usually integrate very well.

Snap RT great minds think alike

[RedThorn]

That's only because I learnt from you Aunty Mo

EDIT : I have used this method twice now and both times have been successful

[Squizz]

Thank you. I'll go and have a look to see what I've got.

[RedThorn]

good luck and let us know how you get on. Oh and pics pleeeeaaaase!

[matthew2riches]

I just left mine and after about 3 weeks you'd never think they were fighting.

They've got to sort the pecking order. Just maybe put some food in the house for the others so they at least can eat and drink.

[Squizz]

I put Nuzzle and Scratch in a separate run with food and water, Harriet our White Leghorn x tried a few pecks through the bars but gave up and they spent the rest of the afternoon in peace. Tomorrow I'll do the same and try to get some pics. Thank you for the advise.

[RedThorn]

glad it's working out. over the next day or 2, start putting them together in the early evening (just before bed) and see how it goes.

[Squizz]

Pictures as promised - Nuzzle is the one lying down and Scratch is the one standing up. Separation still seems to be working well, will try letting them out just before dusk tonight. Fingers crossed.

[matthew2riches]

Nice chooks!

[Hashette]

Tomorrow morning I'm going to take the laptop into the run and read this thread out loud

Two weeks after we rescued three ex-batts and introduced them to our three very ex-ex-batts, rescued last October.

Let's just say that their memories for what they went through, like their sympathy for the poor little featherless frigtened newbies, are in short supply

Does putting valium in the food make me a bad mother?