introducing new hens

[becslb]

Finally after MONTHS (totally didn't expect dh's business to be SO busy!) our new WIR and house are ready for occupation We have 2 girls at home and am planning to pick up another 3 POL to expand our flock - they are all going to the new setup.

1.Can we take them all to the new house at about say 3.30-4pm, put them in the house (in the dark) and let them "get on with it" knowing that they are all in new territory? I know there may/will be bullying while they establish pecking order but wondered if a total new setup would ease any potential bullying from older 2 hens?

2.The house is on the outside of the run with a small tunnel connecting the two, there is no door on the tunnel to stop access between house and run. How essential is this door? I am intending to leave it open all the time anyway hence not having put one on (this can be easily remedied). I read somewhere about using carpet strips across this door to prevent too much draught and more darkeness - is this a good idea? We do have some leftover carpet so would be easy to add!

thanks in advance for advice!

Becs

P.S. If anyone in the Bristol area has any blue-egg laying pol chickens for sale then I'm interested!

[chris]

I have a simialr setup in point 2 - the past few nights I've left it open (I wanted a lie in ) - and it wasn't too cold. In very cold weather I do close it, and whilst I was getting them used to their environment I closed it.

You might want to try annie hall, becs - she's in either bristol or bath (can't remember) - google for her name + poultry, she seems decent, I may be using her for my next lot.. I think she said on the site they can get in stock if you're after something specific.

Your option of introducing them is one way of doing it yes, and if I was introducing new stock, that's how I'd do it... the other way is to keep them separate for a bit, i.e. a smaller internal run and elsewhere at night - I believe. I've not done it though, so I'm sure someone with more knowledge (sense ) will be along shortly.

Edit: I also close it,if I leave the run open (but food removed).. my run door (to the garden) is broken so if I can't get it bodged in that night then I close them in (so nothign can get into the run then into the coop.

[RichmondHens]

Do you not intend to quarantine the new hens first? I would recommend this as a way of making sure they have not brought anything infectious (eg mycoplasma) with them from the seller. It also gives you an opportunity to worm them and check/treat for lice before introducing them to your (presumably!) clean hens. I would normally quarantine new birds for at least 7 - 10 days before adding them to an existing flock.

Once you have quarantined them then doing as you suggest, popping them all in at dark and letting them get on with it is fine.

I don't foresee any problems with not having a door on the "tunnel" - but only time will tell. You need to make sure that there aren't any draughts blowing through onto the birds, and also that rain is not blowing in and soaking the floor.

[Suechooks]

My preference is to keep them adjacent but separate for at least 2 weeks. This way you ensure the new girls are fit and healthy at that time and it gives time to let them get to know each other. If however you have no other facilities, the way you have described is good. You can spray them all with something (I generally use anti-peck spray) so they all smell the same to each other. There will be some squabbling but they should sort themselves out ok.
Is the "tunnel" fox-proof? I prefer to lock mine away at night but I know some folk don't so it's a matter of personal preference. My fear is rats eating the food and getting into the coop.
Good luck anyway - hope you get your blue egg layers!

[becslb]

Could I quarantine the new hens in the new setup and then bring my old ones in? I guess we could possibly take the current house over and use netting to seperate for 10 days.... The current house is very solidly built aka heavy... we were planning to clean out and sell hence not taking it to lottie.

Tunnel is solid - used thick planks of wood and is screwed tightly to the run and house... also on paving slabs with fence panel behind oneside... As the hens are moving to the lottie, I wanted to set up so I only need to go once a day therefore not shutting them in at night - more would be a bonus but I have youngish children with afterschool clubs etc so need to juggle things around a bit (also can't get on site after dusk which may be awkward timing wise at times)

"The Smallholder Centre" in Emerson's Green is not far from me - they sell Fenton Blue (leghorn x hybrid) which lays bluey green eggs. Anyone have one of these? I have emailed them to ask for info but waiting a reply.

[Bramble-Poultry]

richmond - i agree with the quarantine bit. now we have the barn here, it was set up as kennels for dog breeding so its set up with plenty of 8'x4' runs with separate doors so we always separate the new birds into these and observe.

The advantage to this is that each run has power and lighting so i can hook up heat lamps etc if needs be. Putting them into quarantine means that you can worm them, de mite them etc and any worm eggs etc that get cast off will be in the controlled area of the quarantine unit and not in with your others where they may infect them

When it comes to mixing the two lots together i would put them in together at dark so that they wake up together. yes there will be a bit of arguing whilst they sort out the pecking order. keep an eye on the one that will become the bottom of the pile as they may get more hassle than is good for them. In this case they will need to go back into the quarantine unit.

When putting them into together, you can spray them so that they all smell the same. We have successfully used white vinegar diluted into water.

[RichmondHens]

I suggest putting your existing hens into the new set up and quarantine the new ones in your current house. Then after the quarantine period is up your new healthy clean hens can happily be introduced to your existing and you can thoroughly clean and disinfect the old house either for sale or to keep in case of emergencies, if you have the space to hang on to it. I find one can NEVER have enough houses .............!

Yes I have read about the Fenton Blue, not actually seen any or know anyone that has some but understand they are very similar to cream legbars but the eggs are more varied in shades, can be blue or green or olive tinted.

[chris]

I hadn't even thought about quarantine, oops. Apologies!

[becslb]

Ok, thanks everyone. Will discuss with dh what to do!