mixing new hens with old

[Roisin]

Hello - any advice on how to integrate new hens with old? My two old hens, red ex batts, wont accept my two new grey hens. I have had to put them in separate hutch at night, but I do let them free range together during the day. A bit of bullying goes on (its been a month!!!) but otherwise girls are healthy and happy. However, it would be much easier for me to keep them all in the one coop, its quite big. Im beginning to think this willl never be possible. Help! Roisin

 

[daniellesdogs]

get an older rooster he ll sort them out.
try spraying the newer ones with anti peck spray may get them to leave alone

 

[Marigold]

Hello - any advice on how to integrate new hens with old? My two old hens, red ex batts, wont accept my two new grey hens. I have had to put them in separate hutch at night, but I do let them free range together during the day.

i wonder why you feel they can't sleep together at night? It will help them to integrate if they can do this, and if you have them out together during the day they are unlikely to cause any trouble once gone quietly to roost. so long as they sleep separately they won''t feel they are a flock, and each day thery'll have to re-negotiate relationships.
It may be that the new ones are nervous or uncertain about entering a dark house with two scary 'big girls' lying in wait. This happened to me, or rather to my two new POLs and older hybrids earlier this year. I removed the separate roosting box the younger ones had been using, and went down to the run at dusk, to observe what was happening. The first two nights, the POLs were huddled together on a perch in the run, not knowing what to do, so I just picked them up and put them in the house with the big ones, who were settled down by then. I shut the pophole so they couldn't get back out, and there was a bit of bumbling round going on, but no squawking. I opened the pophole once they'd settled, because i leave it open for them to get up early, when they want to. The 3rd and 4th night I got a length of netting and sort of herded the POLs towards the entrance to the house and encouraged them to step in for themselves, again after the big ones had settled. On Day 5 I left them until it was really nearly dark, and when I went down i found everyone was tucked up together, no problem. Don't try putting them to bed too early, if they really feel the need to go into a safe place to roos because oit's getting dark,, this helps their motivation.

I think you'll always have 2 pairs of hens, they seem to make relationships when they come into a new place together and join forces against other gang members, but so long as nobody is being injured and no actual feather-pecking is going on, and evryone has a friend, they will settle eventually. (You can see why it's a mistake to just try integrating only one single hen, with no friend to comfort and support her!) You may need to watch to be sure the younger ones are being allowed to get to food and water, maybe putting two feeders and drinkers would help, or even scattering more food on the floor than you'd otherwise do because the bullies can't be everywhere at once! If you feel the little ones are underfed you could try netting off a shady corner of the run, putting food and water in, and giving them an hour or so of 'time out' together each day, away from the bullies.

 

[Roisin]

Thank you - very helpful advice. I did think of getting a dominant rooster, but live in London and my neighours might not appreciate! I think I'll gather my courage and put them all in together at night, and keep an eye on them. Bit nervous about it though! My POL's are quite scared of the red hens. But if I wait til red ones are sleepy it miht be ok...

 

[Marigold]

Yes I agree about the cockerel; unless you really want to breed chicks, they can be a dead loss. Neighbours really don't appreciate crowing at 5.00 in Summer, and it might drive you to distraction as well. Also it might, or might not, sort out your hen problem, and in any case would be an extra body pooing in the run, taking up space and eating food.

 

[daniellesdogs]

not far from me il drop my boy off for a couple of days he loves a chalange lol
i know people in london with roosters, luckerly my neighbours like his noise and he shuts up as soon as let out my hen does most the crowing

 

[chrismahon]

Try disorientation. Put the two new ones in the big coop and take the two old ones out. Keep them apart in separate runs but very close to each other for two weeks -like a few inches but not close enough to strike.
Then introduce old hens back at night and keep an eye on them in the morning. Always works for us. Usually we don't bother swapping coops either but some birds are really fiesty.

 

[chuckchuck]

Hi.
I have added to my flock over the the last 2 year recently 3 sussex and 2 rangers. They still have a bit of a scrap but i left them to it. oviously if they draw blood then seperate them!! But they will simply get used to each other. Its a demonate thing and they will fight for top dog!! to keep them busy i would tie up fresh coliflower pref 2 each side of the run. and when you give them corn again throw it 2 different places. this way it does not make them come together. They will in there own time. As for putting them in same coop at night i would just do it. They roost at night might have abit of a ding dong at start but soon as the door is shut they will want to roost.
hope this helps.

 

[Chuck]

Roosting together is normally not the problem, it's the hours they spend in the house before you let them out in the morning. The new ones have no way of getting away. Some integrate very easily and at other times they just won't accept newcomers. Don't rely on a male, unless you really want one, it could create more problems. Noise, possible aggression and the hens will get pulled about by treading as four is not enough for a healthy male.

You could just decide to put them together and see how bad the trouble is. They may be better now that they've free ranged together.

 

[Marigold]

Roosting together is normally not the problem, it's the hours they spend in the house before you let them out in the morning. The new ones have no way of getting away. You could just decide to put them together and see how bad the trouble is. They may be better now that they've free ranged together.

I agree about not letting them quarrel whilst waiting to be let out, but surely the answer is either to leave the pohole open at night or to get up early enough to release them?

It didn't sound to me as if you actually had much of a problem, since you don't mention actual injuries or feather peckin when they're out together.. I feel that if you got them roosting together at night, and there was only minor scrapping during the day, this is normal and things will gradually improve. Even if they are never best buddies. the tewo pairs will co-exist quite calmly.

 

[Roisin]

Thanks everyone. There has been feather pecking but no actual injuries. They seem to be getting on a bit better with each other now so I will try putting them in the coop together soon. It gets light awfully early these days, doesnt it? Dont fancy getting up at 6am to sort out a scrap... but might have to one of these days! Roisin (PS thanks for the offer of the loan of a rooster!!!)