The girls explore the opposite sides of the run

This afternoon I switched the girls to the opposite sides of the run. I closed the hatch and put the main flock behind the gate with the help of sunflower seeds. I then let the new girls into the main flock’s side and then opened the hatch.

I closed the new girl’s coop as I knew the main flock would soon scratch all the shavings from it. I put a dish of water and a dish on mash on top of the little coop so that the girls couldn’t fill it with dirt. I used mash instead of pellets so that they wouldn’t get flicked into the dirt.

Both sets of girls seemed to enjoy being in a different area. Peaches soon checked out the new shelter and the main flock reacquainted themselves with the table and perches and also checked out the top of the little coop and the top of the shelter.

The new girls explored most of the run but were very reluctant to go on to the patio. I really wanted them to find the food and water but if I put them on the patio they jumped straight down from it again.

Exploring the other side of the run

Finding the log

Apricot and Dandelion on the log

Apricot

Peaches inspects the shelter

I put Apricot on the patio

Exploring towards the patio area

Getting nearer to the patio

Cinnamon with her little ruff raised

Although Freckles is blurred I kept this photo as it captured Cinnamon with her ruff raised which is something she does a lot to all the main flock members. You would think this would indicate that she is feisty but I know from past experience that it tends to be the one who is going to be at the bottom that does this.

This was just what Speckles was like and once mixed she went straight to the bottom. Cinnamon is the most nervous of the new girls so I am sure she will end up bottom girl. Several times this afternoon she stood on a brick or a log and did this while making herself  appear taller. I didn’t manage to catch a shot though.

Apricot back on the patio

I persuaded Apricot back on to the patio with some spinach but she didn’t stay long enough to find the food and water.

I changed the girls to the opposite sides once more with the evening corn and let the new girls have a fill up on mash. Then I decided to try to Apricot with the main flock. I picked her up and set her down on the other side of the gate.

Oh my goodness, what a mistake. It was awful. Rusty and Apricot were full on fighting. They had hold of each other and were twisting and turning and circling and flapping. It was the most aggression that I have ever seen between two chickens. I sprayed Rusty with water but she wouldn’t let go. I tried to separate them but it was really hard to get hold of them. I managed to grab Rusty and open her beak from Apricot. I held Rusty up high and guided Apricot back through the gate with my foot.

They continued to try to peck at each other through the wire. I kept moving Rusty away but she kept bouncing back. Eventually Apricot made her way to the end of the run and straight up to the top of the ladder.

Apricot at the top of the ladder

A little later everything was back to normal. I was so wrong about the possibility of these two being friends. I think this is going to be a long, hard, slog. I was also wrong about getting the seramas together first. I think it might work better to separate Rusty and Freckles and try the new girls with the bigger girls.

Dave, the breeder, did tell me that seramas can be really aggressive to each other. He was surprised that I hadn’t yet experienced it. I am now beginning to understand what he meant.

Before, during integration, the seramas ran from the bigger girls and got out of the way. There has been ruff raising and directing pecks at each other in the past but I have never seen fighting like this. We are beginning to wonder if they will ever get used to each other.

I am feeling a bit disheartened at the moment. I think it’s going to be a long, slow, process.