New chooks .... plans!

[Millie1]

After much deliberation, we've got 2 black Pekins coming next week to join our Orp, Sussex & New Hampshire Reds in their Maggie's henhouse . Now that I've promised the boys their chickens and phoned the breeder to book them, I'm getting the wobbles. It had always been my intention to bung the newbies in with the oldies at night and just let them f/r during the day - basically let them get on with it. Now I'm reading all these posts (here and Omlet) about keeping them separate and gradual intros. Our current three are well-established, even after only 7-8 weeks. DH really will divorce me if I buy another henhouse - how do I get around it? And truthfully, funds won't run to it at the moment as we're having to put the DTs into beds much sooner than anicipated so will have to buy bedroom furniture for them before anything else chicken-related!!

I'm going to ask around and try to find an unused rabbit hutch I could borrow for a week or two. If that won't work, could they spend their days in the run (whilst the others f/r) with say, a dog crate to shelter in should it be wet, and then I could put them into the main henhouse at night with the others?

If I can't work something out, I'm going to go with my original plan and standby armed with anti-peck spray!

LOL Millie - you're as bad as me!

I asked the breeder this when I got my initial 4 (already plotting evil flock expansion plans), she said make sure you add the new girls in at night, and also to dust them all with talc so that they smell the same. She said that she had never had any long lasting problems.

Large dog crate may also be an option as you say - most dog owners will have one from when their dog was a pup so should be easy to borrow.

I went to a chicken market today but resisted buying anything . However I saw pekins for the first time in the flesh - they are goooorgeous! I can quite see why you want some. My fingers were twitching over the registration form; I was thinking that they could always live in our summerhouse temporarily .

Summerhouse sounds perfect Salty ! Thanks for the tip about the talc - hadn't heard that one before and shall try it. My three are being positively evil at the moment. My own fault, I think, as they haven't had treats in a week or two. Tried some bonding time with them tonight - Delia pecked me as I stroked Nigella, Rachel hated being held and then Delia flapped her feathers and hissed at me ... horrible chicken . Really, for our own sake, I'll have to work with them a bit more on the handling side - heaven help the Pekins if they've to put up with that sort of carry-on - however, I have heard Pekins are feisty little things so, we'll see!

I know the feeling. My lot are wild savages.

I wish I had more knowledge to impart . I feel as though I am feeling my way slowly through the maze that is chicken husbandry. First broodiness, now suspected scaly leg. Will try treating Pamela's legs with surgical spirit, as I can already envisage DH's eyebrow raising at chicken vet bills .

I have done both ways of introducing. The 'bung them in and let them get on with it' method, and the 'seperate at first then slow introduction' method. Honestly, I think the 'bung them in' method worked best, but I was/am cautious this time as I am introducing an Araucana Bantam and a Crean Legbar to a flock of large fowl.

When I just chucked them in together the first time, I put them all in the house and shut the door, as the breeder had advised. He said expect 5 mins of not very ncie fighting, and then let them out when they were quiet. No fighting, no noise, let them all out, all was fine. Second time our existing five were free ranging, so put the newbies in the house and run. The existing hens made such a row I decided to let the newbies out, we had a couple of half hearted pecks, but no problems.

I kept the CL and Araucana in their own hutch/run for a week, then let them free range together for an hour last night, then sleep in the same house. I then seperated the CL and Araucana back into their own house and run asw I had to go out this morning. All are now free ranging together and there is only minor bullying, but it is more than before. I have covered the newbies in anti peck spray as a deterrant.

I think pekins are meant to be quite feisty, but size would worry me, although I am guessing as Bantams go they are quite large?

You must be excited! Good luck with them!

Thanks Midori ... it's good to read of your experiences. You have a lovely selection of hens now.

I think we're getting them on Wednesday or Thursday and haven't been able to borrow housing .... looked at small arks online today but really, they're another couple of hundred pounds and I'm pretty sure DH won't go for it at the moment - so it's going to be a case of bunging them all in together. We'll be getting them home (if it works out) at around 8pm so I think I'll lock them in the run for an hour, then let them f/r with the big ones for an hour then it'll be their bedtime and I'll stand outside and listen. Great idea to spray them first - I've got the spray in the garage. Salty's talc idea is another good one - assuming I can get it on the bigger hens without being scratched and pecked.

Watch this space

Update: got the new girls. 10w and 12w. Very pretty. The older one is a character and I could swear 'she' crowed this morning but no-one has heard anything from her since so I shall continue to watch!

Surprise, surprise, having problems with the big girls. Sussex got very nasty this morning and flipped the little one over - then kept a big, heavy, claw on her until I rescued her . So the littlies are in a separate area inside the f/r area with a dolls house for daytime shelter!!

I'm waiting for the big girls to go to bed and then am going to try popping the wee ones in. Don't have much choice for now. The dolls house is well ventilated (lots of windows) but rather small (though so are the chickens!) and not terribly robust so I don't want to resort to closing them in there. They did all sleep together last night and there didn't seem to be any problems, so keep your fingers crossed.

Have spent the evening browsing chicken houses on-line but not terribly seriously as it's early days and I'd have a hard job convincing DH to invest more money in chickens. However, the boys and I figure that if we do need another house, then we need another couple of pekins . They're so sweet!

At least the two can spend time together so they won't be alone. Bless them. I wonder if the other girls reaction is partly due to age as well as size? It might get better as they get older. I wasn't aware until quite recently that adult birds can react quite badly to younger than POL birds.

Where did you get your Pekins? There were loads at Castlewellan show yesterday, but there don't seem to be any breeders near us. (just in case Lulu the Araucana needs a friend or two... I am thinking bantams don't count... )

Nope ... bantams don't count! Got them in Maguiresbridge from here www.farmandpoultry.com/. She only has black . However, I did speak to the guy down the bottom of this page www.irishfowl.com/irish-poultry-breeders.php?county=Antrim - the Chicken Ranch. He sounded great and if he wasn't so far away and if we do get a second house .... well I'd somehow add some Pekins from him to get more colours!

What were the birds like at the show - did you drool?

The girls went okay last night with the big girls. They all came out into the run this morning before I could stop the smallest Pekin - the buff Sussex did chase again but not quite so visciously. And she saw them off from the food. I think it'll work out but not sure how long to keep them separate for - guy on other forum said til the little ones are 10-12 weeks - if that's the case, much as they love thier dolls house , I'm not sure about the practicality. Found myself looking at Eglu's last night - they must be easy to clean but I do like the look of wooden houses.

Oops, I'm rambling!

How is Lulu settling? Are things getting any better & is she in with the others at night now?

I'm getting 3 more in a few weeks. We'll sort out the eglu we keep for broodies, intros and illness and have it facing the cube run so they can eyeball each other!

Would love to have some banties though, so cute.
Am planning a trip to the national poultry show in nov