Getting 2 skylines

[BarleySugar]

I had been having second thoughts about expanding my flock from 6 to 8 after following Chris's trials and tribulations, then I had an email from a breeder who I'd asked to inform me when he got his next skylines as POL. To be honest, it was quite a while ago, and I'd not exactly forgot, but it seemed unlikely he'd still contact me.
So, on Sunday morning we are going to collect a couple of new girls . I just couldn't resist. I've read all the different tips, but will have to play it by ear I think, all flocks have differnt dynamics I suppose, so what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another.

[BarleySugar]

When we went to collect the new pullets I was a bit surprised at the catching method. The breeder had a large net, which he swooped around the pens to catch the required birds. There were quite a few people in front of us, so we had a chance to look around the different birds. He seemed to have a wide age range of warrens and some lovely bantams, as well as the mixed pens of hybrids and some chicks still under lamps. I was pleased to see he didn't try to hide any 'problem' birds. One had obviously been pecked quite nastily, and was sporting a lovely purple skin. She was in a pen with a couple of other birds and seemed happy enough.
After getting the two new girls home on Sunday I put them into the coop and shut the others out, as advised by the breeder. It also served to disturb our young broody hen, who scraped out a hollow and started collecting any bits of twig and leaf!
We had noticed there was a definite difference in colour, one being much greyer, (and older) than the other, so they have been named Dawn and Dusk. Dusk has a much larger comb and redder wattles as well as being the more confident of the two. Our Rhode Rock, Rose has bullied them a bit, so now they have decided to live on top of the coop, where I have put small bowls of pellets and water. However they are getting more used to me, they will come to the edge of the coop for corn, even with me standing right there. At first they just huddled as far away as possible. I've also given them some of the greens up there, with the idea that eventually when I lob stuff in the run, they will know what it is, and come down as well. At bed time they huddle on the top with Calypso who always settles there, but they are not so amenable to being put in the coop yet. I've not let them out into the garden either. Once all the older girls have laid I've been letting them into the garden, and closing the run to give Dawn and Dusk the opportunity to come down if they want. I don't want to shut the layers out so they can't get to the nest boxes.

[lettucegrow!]

How's it going?I'm off to get two hens despite saying I would never do it again! I'm down to only two so think the time is right. Your girls look lovely, just like my Esmerelda! They will lay a lovely colour egg.
I've put a partition up already for when we get back and was going to do what you have and let the older girls out to free range away from the newbies but they will still be able to get back in to see them. Have the added fun of having a bunny in with the chooks but I can always put her in her cage temporarily.
Have to say I'm not looking forward to this much!!!

[kathyd]

It sounds really complicated Barleysugar! I'm sure they'll all sort themselves out eventually though. I'm hoping to pick up a couple of new birds over the next 2 or 3 weeks, and will quarantine them in a separate section of the enclosure for a couple of weeks before trying to mix them in with the existing flock. However, remembering back to when I added my last 2 newbies (without quarantining them first, I must admit), I'm not looking forward to it! It caused ructions for weeks. Do you know whether the ones at the bottom of the hierarchy in the existing flock are automatically most likely to become friendly with the newbies first? Or is that too simplistic?

[chris]

They look like my legbar hybrids, somewhere down the line.

I stopped mine going on my coop roof, as they were pooing all over it. Mine are starting to get along now, but the underdog is definitely the underdog - by a massive amount.

I've come to the thinking as you said in your first post, what works for others might not work for you... but at the end it's just time.

[lettucegrow!]

I thought it was the ones at the bottom if the hierarchy that were the unfriendliest. They will feel more threatened.

[BarleySugar]

Lillypad is the bottom, and to be honest, it does seem to be her and Rose, probably the next one up, that protest the most. At least today Dawn has come out of the coop herself, but they are both on the top of the coop still. Dusk did brave the wrath of the others this morning, and ate from the main feeder, but their was a lot of squawking. I've still put the food and water bowls up for them too. Both of them enjoyed a few mushy strawberries, and I'm pleased they don't seem so shy of me. I suppose if their main human contact has been someone swooping around there pen with a net, it isn't surprising they were nervous.
As I've been out quite a bit today, I've not had them ranging so much, but OH said there hasn't been much noise, and everyone seemed quite calm when I checked and spoilts them with some corn.
Skylines do have legbar in their heritage I think Chris, they are 80% likely to lay the blue eggs, so I hope I'm lucky.

[RichmondHens]

I catch chickens in a large net too. It's the quickest and most practical way if I need to catch one during the daytime, especially if I'm on my own.

[kathyd]

I thought it was the ones at the bottom if the hierarchy that were the unfriendliest. They will feel more threatened.

Oh dear, so my hope that the newbies would be nice little friends for the one at bottom of the heap isn't going to work. I must admit it was the youngsters last time who were most horrible to the new ones, although they're all part of the same 'pack' now so I suppose it all sorts itself out eventually.

[lettucegrow!]

Fraid not! They will sort themselves out but it takes a while. I'm going for softly slowly approach this time as it can get a bit nasty. My new girls are in a coop within my big enclosed run.So they can be seen but are safe. This is the first day. Going to go day at a time and as I'm out most of today they are staying put. The whole thing must be such an upheaval for all the hens, the newbies don't know where the are and have to get used to new surroundings and the oldies are thinking 'what on earth are you doing here?!!'
Good luck!

[BarleySugar]

When I let them out yesterday all the 'oldies' came out to eat and drink, with the new girls still in the coop. Then Liliypad, bottom of the heap went back in to chase the other two out. Dawn came to the entrance of the coop, then flew up onto my shoulder, where she perched while I stroked her. I didn't have her up there long, just in case she pooped. She went happily onto the coop and pecked corn out of the cup I offered. Still keeping out the way of the others though.

I'm not saying the netting method is necessarily bad, but just that, depending how many times it happens while they are awating a home, it must leave a bit of trauma. I've noticed my girls seem quite fast learners, I have to fight them off when I go to the garage for anything if they are out as they associate the noise of the door opeing with corn!