Aunt Tat
Songster
Greetings all!
It's been an eventful year. One of original girls had some kind of over dose of calcium that caused problems near her ovary and pooping. We got her into the vet just in time. To the tune of $500.
2 wks later, she'd been killed by a racoon.
Her buddy, a broody Barnevelder called "Chicken-A-Rosie" was ostracized by the other 2 chickens and we felt bad for her. So.....we decided to get more chicks.
We got a novagen, dominick (which we already have) along with 2 easter eggers (Esther and Echo) and a Welsummer named Pip who is shaping up to be a handsome ROOSTER!
We opted not to get another Golden Comet which was what our dead girl was; and we opted not to get another Broody Barnevelder, otherwise we would have gotten those for easier integration.
We started introducing them after the 2-wk quarantine and everyone was getting along fine...they were in the house for about 5-10 mins. and we had food, etc.
When they were just about ready to go out, we put the newbies in a short run with food/water and let them hang out. At some point, Rosie and Pip started challenging each other. Rooster hackles were raised (He hasn't even started crowing yet!)
We had built a larger coop (from Urban NW Chicken Coops) and everyone started getting used to the new arrangements. I understand that the chicken that got bullied in the original group becomes a bully herself. And that is what she did/does. (No wounds/blood, but Esther has always been afraid of her own shadow)
The easter eggers decided they'd be better off in the other nesting box at night. So I blocked off both nesting boxes and fille them with bricks to keep the barrier in place. There was a bit of an opening at the top of the barrier and Esther has figured out a way to get into the box!
One the Coop Cam, we saw Rosie pecking the heck out of Esther and I suggested we put the 3 original girls back in their old coop. My husband said "no" because he wants to use the coop as a sick/isolation coop. (oh..and Rosie is brooding, although I'm taking steps to break her, so I don't know if her disposition with change much when she's back to normal)
So..what say you? Keep them all in the coop at night and let them iron things out amongst themselves or separate the "2" flocks and let peace reign?
It's been an eventful year. One of original girls had some kind of over dose of calcium that caused problems near her ovary and pooping. We got her into the vet just in time. To the tune of $500.
2 wks later, she'd been killed by a racoon.
Her buddy, a broody Barnevelder called "Chicken-A-Rosie" was ostracized by the other 2 chickens and we felt bad for her. So.....we decided to get more chicks.
We got a novagen, dominick (which we already have) along with 2 easter eggers (Esther and Echo) and a Welsummer named Pip who is shaping up to be a handsome ROOSTER!
We opted not to get another Golden Comet which was what our dead girl was; and we opted not to get another Broody Barnevelder, otherwise we would have gotten those for easier integration.
We started introducing them after the 2-wk quarantine and everyone was getting along fine...they were in the house for about 5-10 mins. and we had food, etc.
When they were just about ready to go out, we put the newbies in a short run with food/water and let them hang out. At some point, Rosie and Pip started challenging each other. Rooster hackles were raised (He hasn't even started crowing yet!)
We had built a larger coop (from Urban NW Chicken Coops) and everyone started getting used to the new arrangements. I understand that the chicken that got bullied in the original group becomes a bully herself. And that is what she did/does. (No wounds/blood, but Esther has always been afraid of her own shadow)
The easter eggers decided they'd be better off in the other nesting box at night. So I blocked off both nesting boxes and fille them with bricks to keep the barrier in place. There was a bit of an opening at the top of the barrier and Esther has figured out a way to get into the box!
One the Coop Cam, we saw Rosie pecking the heck out of Esther and I suggested we put the 3 original girls back in their old coop. My husband said "no" because he wants to use the coop as a sick/isolation coop. (oh..and Rosie is brooding, although I'm taking steps to break her, so I don't know if her disposition with change much when she's back to normal)
So..what say you? Keep them all in the coop at night and let them iron things out amongst themselves or separate the "2" flocks and let peace reign?