Why oh why oh why....

[TPeers]

Can't hens behave!

Having had the newbies side by side with the big girls for the last two weeks, last night I transfered them into the big ark.

Today - as expected it should be said, all hell is breaking loose!

I can't put the newgirls back in the little run - it really isn't big enough.

Ho hum, thanks for letting my sulk. Off to find the vinegar spray.......

[di]

They really can be the most vicious little things can't they!
Our Isa's were really crafty with their bullying to Marigold,they were really like little kiddies.Whilst I was in the run or they thought nearby & watching,they'd leave her alone,then as soon as they thought I wasn't watching they'd launch another attack!The worst one was when they lined up facing the fence & as she made her get away they each had a go at her,finishing with them all divebombing her at the end.(I took her out)

Hope the mayhem calms soon,as you're not just introducing one newbie they'll have safety in numbers.x

[TPeers]

True!

I know they have to establish a new order and all that jazz - but the horrors have pulled a bunch of feathers from the wyandotte!

Spent 10mins spraying any hen that had a go and now come in - intermittent squalking - so I'll have to go out in a while.

Still as you say - it is four on four. Little Ceylon the Copper Splash Maran at 14 weeks is going to get the worst of it I expect, followed by Madras the wyandotte - who looks more banty than light hen given she is supposedly 20 weeks now and not all that large!

I just wonder if Kiev (Araucana) - who suffered all the bullying when she came a year ago is going to regret what she is starting - marans get quite big!

[Glutton4...]

Evil little wotsits huh!

They should settle after a while, although I've got one that'll pick on anyone ranking below her, and for no reason at all! She'll launch an attack from 5 or 6 feet away just for the fun of it sometimes - ego problem I reckon!

Hope they settle soon though, it is a worry isn't it?

[TPeers]

Well yesterday went as expected! The little ones huddled in a corner being pecked at intermittently. Korma and Blackie II, being bigger ended up in front of the tiddlers and took the brunt of it but don't seem too bad. I saw traces of blood on Blackies leg but none of the girls are going for her in particular so a 'watch and see' feel.

The big girls went to bed first and the little ones then got a turn at the food and water - there is some at both ends of the run but I doubt they got much during the day. The tiddlers went up after about a further 15-20 mins and have refused to come down this morning!

I think I rather expected that so food and water are now in the roost. (And I have closed the ramp to stop the big girls nicking it all!)

I'll have to open the ramp in an hour or so to give the big girls access to the nest boxes - no doubt all hell will be repeated!

[MaureenHall]

But hopefully the hell won't be as bad as yesterday (fingers crossed!!! )

[pdblake]

How do you make up vinegar spray and does it stop them?

My two new birds are taking a bit of beating from two of the existing four. No damage but the littlest hardly dares come outside.

I never realised they could be such nasty little sods.

[TPeers]

Vinegar spray - in a handheld sprayer of the type you use when damping laundry mix in a 50:50 ratio white vinegar and water. Spray at the attacking bullies as needed. I'm mean - I aim!

It seems to confuse their sense of smell which means the new girls don't seem as bad. It also suprises the old girls and makes them back off. I find it limits the time taken for integration and the need for physical removal of an over stressed new bird.

I can never remember who on here told me to do this but they have my thanks - was it BirdieWife?

Narsty little sods sums it up!

As for my lot..... opened the ramp again at about 8.45 but the newbies won't go down. I've had this before when Kiev was introduced. At least they arn't attacking each other and since I have put food and water in the roost the little ones have enough to keep them going. Eventually they will come down and there will be a few more squabbles but it will sort itself out.

[TPeers]

Humph!

Not so much handbags at dawn as full on war!

I've had to seperate the new girls off - it got so vicious blood was drawn on a couple of the new girls

Interestingly when I seperated them yesterday I put the little ones in the big static run with a cat box for a roost. They have totally ignored it and roosted on one of the perches in the run!

Just as well the weather is warm and they have built in duvets!

[pdblake]

Mine seem to have calmed down a bit. They're still chasing the young ones about a bit but not trying to rip them apart anymore.

They really do not like that vinegar spray though

[shirlthegirl43]

I am now starting to dread getting the new girls this week!!

[MaureenHall]

They'll be fine Shirl, you know what "could" happen and you're prepared for the worst xxx

[its hilly]

With horses when you show stallions some people puy a little swipe of vic in the nostril, it stops them smelling anything else..eg mares. And if you scrub some dirty bedding from a mares bed over an orphan foal it makes the foal smell like her and helps her accept it. Interesting that chickens work on smell too! Wonder if vic on newbies and old girls beaks would work?

[lynda66]

is lucky with my girls, cos they are used to allsorts of animals, they dont beat anyone up, just go on egg laying strike when i add anything new to the run ... bless em