- Jan 23, 2013
- 28
- 1
- 82
Hi All
I've had chickens for about 7 years. I've got a quite mixed age flock of different types of hybrid layers in my garden, and have over the years integrated new chickens into the existing flock. Last September it was 4 Warrens and they successfully integrated within a few months. Each time I do it its slightly different but I'm sort of an old hand with this now. If I can just explain my set up and then the problem, I would appreciate any advice.
I currently have 16 chickens including the 4 new ones which I have the problem with. My hens are in a very big enclosure so they can free range, with a small enclosure linked to it that I can open up to allow them to mingle. There is a large coop in the big enclosure, and a smaller one in the little enclosure although its reasonable sized and can take 8 hens and there is a separate feeder and drinker in there. They usually have access to my lawn at different times of the day, but at the moment with Bird Flu in certain parts of the UK I'm not letting them onto the grass, but the main enclosure is a big one and barked, and there's lots to do, compost heaps, climbing areas, extra nest boxes, hiding/sheltered/covered areas, trees, sandpit. 2 separate feeders and drinkers. So there is plenty for them to do.
However, I'm in the middle of integrating 4 white leghorns. These are not pullets, they are probably a couple of years old although they are all laying well. I got them from someone who couldn't look after them as they had an allergy to the feathers. The birds were well housed although in a completely covered in area with limited interest. I don't think they really had access to grass - it was a very small garden. The people who had them though took good care of them and were real animal lovers - I was impressed with the condition of the birds. There didn't seem to be any problems between the birds,
Right brought them home and put them in the little enclosure on their own. Kept them like that for about a week to isolate them so I could see if any illnesses and to allow my older girls on the other side of the gate able to see them. The Leghorns seemed to be perfectly ok. I brought in Gertrude Peckins, one of the flock matriarchs. She is a big girl but very gentle although doesn't put up with nonsense. Gradually introduced a number of other hens over days and weeks till built up to 8 in the small enclosure.
There was abit of pecking from my girls but actually it wasn't serious and was simply chastisement to put them in their place. On the whole they were getting on really well - I was surprised how well to be honest. In my experience it usually takes alot longer and is alot harder going. In the end while feeding corn, I simply opened up the two enclosures and the 2 sets of hens were all together. Again some chastisement but not excessive and after closing the door of the 2nd coop in the small enclosure, the girls were all going to bed in the main coop. I only had problems with one leghorn that didn't want to go in, and for a couple of nights I had to pick her up and put her in the coop. Eventually even that then sorted and they were all together.
So down to the problems I've got.
1) One thing I noticed both when the leghorns were separate and when I had some of my old girls getting to know them was that one of the leghorns was plucking out bum feathers from another leghorn. I sprayed affected bird, but I still have this problem as an ongoing issue. I haven't used Stockholm Tar yet because I don't want it all over the eggs and its so messy but if necessary I will. Any advice why the insidious feather pecking??
2) Second problem - about 5/6 days ago, I popped into the enclosure early in the morning before work. One of the leghorns was in the small enclosure and covered in blood. There were 2 other leghorns with her liberally sprinkled, and Florence who again is a big bird - she's a 3 year old Bluebelle hybrid, and unlike the other Bluebelle I've got, Florence has a major attitude with some of the other hens - even me on occasion. I have to say I assumed it was her. So I brought the dog crate into my kitchen and set up my Chicken Hospital. Cleaned up and isolated the injured leghorn and put her in for TLC. I moved the other 3 white leghorns into the small enclosure and closed it off. Kept them in there for 2-3 days. The injured leghorn stayed in my kitchen, but I really needed her out and didn't want her away from the others for too long, so chanced it and let the other leghorns into the main enclosure. Absolutely no problem at all with any of the older girls, and they all went to bed together that night, so put the injured leghorn in the small enclosure for couple of days.
There was alot of pacing up and down the boundary by her and by another white leghorn - displays of fluffing up and attacking fence. Each time I sprayed them both with garden hose to break it up. In the end it calmed down and I chanced opening up the little enclosure. Again no problems with my older girls, but these 2 leghorns have got it on for each other. Yesterday I spent whole afternoon in there with them breaking up any trouble with the hose. I know they need a pecking order but don't want to risk further injury. Ended up separating them for bedtime in the 2 coops with even number of my older girls in with each of them.
I've opened up the enclosures again, and spent alot of morning monitoring and squirting the 2 trouble makers. At one point one of the flock matriarchs (a different bluebelle) had had enough and pinned one of the stroppy leghorns to the ground to tell her off. Unfortunately I was in mid squirt with the hose and got her as well - Madame Cluck Cluck was not amused!!!
So what I guess I'm asking is am I doing this the right way re handling the aggression between the leghorns?? I'm worried about them injuring each other before they get over themselves. Should I keep on with the hose to break things up or should I just let them get on with it and hope one of the other hens takes them to task?? Also what can I do re the feather pecking by the one of the other leghorns? Is it nutritional do you think or habit???
Any advice available would be very welcome!!!!
I've had chickens for about 7 years. I've got a quite mixed age flock of different types of hybrid layers in my garden, and have over the years integrated new chickens into the existing flock. Last September it was 4 Warrens and they successfully integrated within a few months. Each time I do it its slightly different but I'm sort of an old hand with this now. If I can just explain my set up and then the problem, I would appreciate any advice.
I currently have 16 chickens including the 4 new ones which I have the problem with. My hens are in a very big enclosure so they can free range, with a small enclosure linked to it that I can open up to allow them to mingle. There is a large coop in the big enclosure, and a smaller one in the little enclosure although its reasonable sized and can take 8 hens and there is a separate feeder and drinker in there. They usually have access to my lawn at different times of the day, but at the moment with Bird Flu in certain parts of the UK I'm not letting them onto the grass, but the main enclosure is a big one and barked, and there's lots to do, compost heaps, climbing areas, extra nest boxes, hiding/sheltered/covered areas, trees, sandpit. 2 separate feeders and drinkers. So there is plenty for them to do.
However, I'm in the middle of integrating 4 white leghorns. These are not pullets, they are probably a couple of years old although they are all laying well. I got them from someone who couldn't look after them as they had an allergy to the feathers. The birds were well housed although in a completely covered in area with limited interest. I don't think they really had access to grass - it was a very small garden. The people who had them though took good care of them and were real animal lovers - I was impressed with the condition of the birds. There didn't seem to be any problems between the birds,
Right brought them home and put them in the little enclosure on their own. Kept them like that for about a week to isolate them so I could see if any illnesses and to allow my older girls on the other side of the gate able to see them. The Leghorns seemed to be perfectly ok. I brought in Gertrude Peckins, one of the flock matriarchs. She is a big girl but very gentle although doesn't put up with nonsense. Gradually introduced a number of other hens over days and weeks till built up to 8 in the small enclosure.
There was abit of pecking from my girls but actually it wasn't serious and was simply chastisement to put them in their place. On the whole they were getting on really well - I was surprised how well to be honest. In my experience it usually takes alot longer and is alot harder going. In the end while feeding corn, I simply opened up the two enclosures and the 2 sets of hens were all together. Again some chastisement but not excessive and after closing the door of the 2nd coop in the small enclosure, the girls were all going to bed in the main coop. I only had problems with one leghorn that didn't want to go in, and for a couple of nights I had to pick her up and put her in the coop. Eventually even that then sorted and they were all together.
So down to the problems I've got.
1) One thing I noticed both when the leghorns were separate and when I had some of my old girls getting to know them was that one of the leghorns was plucking out bum feathers from another leghorn. I sprayed affected bird, but I still have this problem as an ongoing issue. I haven't used Stockholm Tar yet because I don't want it all over the eggs and its so messy but if necessary I will. Any advice why the insidious feather pecking??
2) Second problem - about 5/6 days ago, I popped into the enclosure early in the morning before work. One of the leghorns was in the small enclosure and covered in blood. There were 2 other leghorns with her liberally sprinkled, and Florence who again is a big bird - she's a 3 year old Bluebelle hybrid, and unlike the other Bluebelle I've got, Florence has a major attitude with some of the other hens - even me on occasion. I have to say I assumed it was her. So I brought the dog crate into my kitchen and set up my Chicken Hospital. Cleaned up and isolated the injured leghorn and put her in for TLC. I moved the other 3 white leghorns into the small enclosure and closed it off. Kept them in there for 2-3 days. The injured leghorn stayed in my kitchen, but I really needed her out and didn't want her away from the others for too long, so chanced it and let the other leghorns into the main enclosure. Absolutely no problem at all with any of the older girls, and they all went to bed together that night, so put the injured leghorn in the small enclosure for couple of days.
There was alot of pacing up and down the boundary by her and by another white leghorn - displays of fluffing up and attacking fence. Each time I sprayed them both with garden hose to break it up. In the end it calmed down and I chanced opening up the little enclosure. Again no problems with my older girls, but these 2 leghorns have got it on for each other. Yesterday I spent whole afternoon in there with them breaking up any trouble with the hose. I know they need a pecking order but don't want to risk further injury. Ended up separating them for bedtime in the 2 coops with even number of my older girls in with each of them.
I've opened up the enclosures again, and spent alot of morning monitoring and squirting the 2 trouble makers. At one point one of the flock matriarchs (a different bluebelle) had had enough and pinned one of the stroppy leghorns to the ground to tell her off. Unfortunately I was in mid squirt with the hose and got her as well - Madame Cluck Cluck was not amused!!!
So what I guess I'm asking is am I doing this the right way re handling the aggression between the leghorns?? I'm worried about them injuring each other before they get over themselves. Should I keep on with the hose to break things up or should I just let them get on with it and hope one of the other hens takes them to task?? Also what can I do re the feather pecking by the one of the other leghorns? Is it nutritional do you think or habit???
Any advice available would be very welcome!!!!
