I went out at half past five this morning to let the girls out. The old girls came straight out but the new girls stayed put. After a few minutes I reached through the nest box to encourage them out.
Coming out
One of the new girls came out and went into the garden area. To my horror the three old girls instantly attacked her. They all went for her neck and I spayed them with water to separate them. The new girl hid behind the bush.
In the mean time the second new girl came out. The three of them did the same to her but she is a feisty little thing and stood up for herself, pecking at them in return before joining the other one behind the bush.
The new girls find a safe place to hide.
I was horrified at how aggressive our girls were, all three going for the new girls necks. I had thought that Bluebell wouldn’t peck another girl as she is so docile but I think she saw her chance to move up from being bottom girl. This was much worse than I expected and I realise now that I was being naive in thinking that they could all be together straight away. I knew now that they would have to be separated.
I watched them for half an hour and Dotty and Bluebell went to check out the new girls but oddly enough our top girl, Pepper wasn’t showing an interest but was busying herself with a corn cob. Bluebell was strutting around and shouting at the top of her voice.
Dotty and Bluebell check out the new girls
I knew I couldn’t let the new girls stay behind the bush for much longer but was unsure what to do next. I decided the easiest thing to do was to put the old girls back in the coop. They are used to me picking them up so it wasn’t a problem to pop them back in the coop and close the door.
I then enticed the new girls out with some corn. I let them have a little time to explore and they were happily scratching about and pecking at the corn cob. I could see that they would be happy in this space if they were allowed some peace. It seemed a shame to have spoil their fun but I couldn’t leave the other girls shut in the coop.
I decided the best thing to do next would be to put the new girls back in the cage for their own safety so that we could set about rigging up a separate area for them. Catching them was the tricky bit. Luckily for me while I was trying to catch them one flew into the cage. I shut the door and she vocally let me know that she wasn’t happy.
They are very flighty and a few times the remaining new girl flew over my head but I managed to corner her, scoop her up and put her in the cage. By now an hour had passed and my husband was still in bed. I didn’t want to get him up if I felt I could manage the situation myself.
I let the old girls out of the coop. I then put food and water in the cage and attached it to the coop again. The new girls retreated to the safety of the coop.
It was now time to enlist my husbands help as I knew the old girls would be wanting to go into the nest box to lay their eggs soon.
Luckily we had plenty of chicken wire in the shed so we removed the umbrella and the ladder for now and rolled the chicken wire across in front of the bush. I felt the new girls needed the security of the bush. We stapled the wire to the wooden posts and put some canes through at intervals for support. We put the cage inside with the upturned cardboard box in it to provide a makeshift nest box. We added the food and water, the corn cob and some spinach leaves. We then rolled the wire over the top to keep the new girls in and the old girls out. This is bit make shift but hopefully it’s only temporary so we will try to just make do at the moment.
The separated area for the new girls
The new girls in their own area
Once we had completed this things soon settled down. Bluebell and Dotty went into the nest box together and laid their eggs side by side as usual. Pepper went in and laid her egg shortly afterwards. The new girls settled in their area and pecked at the corn cob and leaves.
We have decided that we will make sure one of us is at home at all times to keep an eye the girls (going out in turns) and we will check on them frequently.
When I went up later I was pleased to see the three old girls sat one side of the wire and the two new girls sat on the other side of the wire. I could get lulled by this like last night but after this morning I am going to be much more wary. No one is shouting though and as long as there is wire between them they all seem happy. I would have liked a photo but after chasing the new girls and catching them this morning, they are now wary of me and moved away as soon as I went towards them with my camera.
Sort of together
This was the best shot I could get for now.
I will let them out together just before dark so that they can all go to bed together. I will also continue to go out to them at first light. I am not sure how I will get the new girls back into their area in the morning but will cross that bridge when I get to it.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
The top hen of the existing brood doesn’t need to do anything to reinforce her position … it’s the hens lower down the order that will attack a new comer so that she knows her place (ie beneath them!). I’m sorry it didn’t work.
There are lots of different ways to introduce new birds – I know you’ve read around online about it. I keep mine separate but in view of each other, for up to two weeks, before allowing them to free range together for a short while just before dusk, gradually lengthening the time. I don’t usually combine them until the new girls start visiting the main coop. But of course, sometimes the hens have their own ideas …
I hope you get something sorted. It will take time, but don’t be discouraged. They will one day be a flock together, though they will almost certainly prove the proverb, birds of a feather, flock together …
I realise now that I need to take it much slower. They are actually fine with the wire between them and it’s tempting to think they will be okay but after this morning I know that’s not the case.
Although I had read up on integrating them, I had also read that bantams could sometimes go straight in and would just get out of the way. I can see now that it’s still no good because they can’t live behind the bush!
I should really have known that nothing is ever that simple when it comes to chickens.
This sounds completely normal to me! I think most people have the same kinds of issues when they introduce chickens (and lots of other kinds of animals to be honest).
Imagine if you came downstairs in the morning and saw 2 random people sitting in your house. Would you be happy? The chickens never asked for new birds to be added to the flock, and at the moment they are just outsiders in their territory.
I think it will take a little while for them to integrate but I’m sure they’ll all get along eventually. Have fun! I know you love this kind of stuff really…
Richard said the same thing about going in the front room to watch T.V. and finding two strangers sat on the settee.
We are going to improve the separation area. Richard has come up with a better sleeping arrangement idea and I have made a nest box which currently has a new girl sat in it. I am going to do another post at the end of the day with these updates.
We will get there but I now know that I can’t rush it, lesson learned!
Keep calm and everything will be fine..Trust me ! been there done that .
Thank you. I am now trying to work out my strategy for getting them to bed tonight! Tomorrow we are fine tuning their enclosure.
Oh, your new babies are beautiful. But yes, do keep them separated for a while. At least one week but go nice and slow. Some hens might take a month. And there will always be some pecking as they will always be at the bottom of the pecking order. But they are so sweet.
You are right, they are sweet. I am realising how important it is to keep them separated and am working on improvements. I think they will probably be at the bottom of the pecking order.