How we introduced one single hen to another hen
(actually pullet to pullet)
Introducing can be easy!
I am so happy with the successful introduction of our two chickens that I decided to make a page about it
August 2nd
So one of our last 2 birds turned out to be an upcoming roo, which would leave us with one lonely pullet!
Sunny is a very good girl, but I want her to have somebody to cuddle with during our cold winters. I read how it's easiest to rehome the remaining bird and start with new ones that can grow together ... but I do not want to start over, and I don't want to trade my sweet Sunny for 2 pullets that don't know me. If she doesn't want a friend, we'll do our best to make her a happy single hen. But I am determined for her to have a friend ~ the thought of her being endlessly alone made me sad.
I've made arrangements to rehome our young cockerel and purchase a pullet the same day.
Sunny will be alone in her run with access to her coop for a few hours while we get the new bird, hopefully long enough for Sunny to get lonely for company. She's never been alone before.
Now some would say "you have to quarantine for a month". I agree with this if you are risking your flock.
I only have one pullet left, and if it "doesn't work out ie: fight to the death" I'll just keep my chin up and replace her.
Lots of puppies and kittens -and- chicks out there in the world to be adopted!
Yes the birds are from two different sources. I 100% trust the source that I am purchasing the new bird from (NPIP, BYC, and knows her stuff!) and my own bird is the picture of health too. No quarantine time for us, our only fear is if they don't get along.
August 3rd
Gave Sunny some extra treats. Left home with a cockerel, came home with a pullet.
We didn't introduce one to the other right away, in fact we kept the new bird "a secret" by keeping her in the house.
While we waited for dark, we cleaned and rearranged everything in the coop and the run - to hopefully prevent any territorial feelings. Really rearranged it all! Added all fresh bedding and a new perch too -and changed the perch's location within the coop. Put in a new differently shaped water bowl, an additional food dish, and a large hiding box -just in case someone wanted some alone time.
An hour after dark, we snuck our new chick (both born in May, yay!) into the coop. The pretty blue pullet named Bonnie had been sleeping for an hour, I gently woke her to put her on the perch ... no words no sounds. Sunny was sleeping in the corner of the floor & didn't notice us. We hooked up the ipod to play lullabies and sprayed lemon sugar perfume to change the smell of the coop.
I waited 2 hours - didn't hear a peep - and then I snuck into the coop and gently and very slowly with no words nor sounds moved Sunny to the perch, just 2ft away from Bonnie. Lullabies left playing for 1 more hour and then I went out and shut them off. Both sleeping peacefully on each end of the roost! (We put in one 4ft long 2x4 propped up on cinder blocks)
So far, so good - we'll see what the morning brings!
(the baby monitor is on, I'm sleeping well tonight!)
I also read that you can take the original bird out of the coop and put the new one in for an hour, then put your original bird back in, but I like the idea of sneaking the new bird under the cover of darkness with sleepiness.
Here is our new pullet, relaxing in our sunroom while we do all of the rearranging:
August 4th
In the morning, after a nice quiet night, my DH turned the ipod back on @ 5am so they could wake up to soothing music. "Music calms the savage beast". He reported that they were sleeping on the new perch together = side by side!! We had the baby monitor on all night/morning - no squawking, no nothing. When I woke up and went out back they were out in the run
! A total success story. I was smiling ear to ear!together
I gave them yummy stuffs to have with their breakfast, and they shared off the plate! ♥♥
August 6th
We have kept the girls confined to their coop and run for 2 days. We let the girls freerange today
After Sunny showed Bonnie around the yard a bit, Sunny wanted to snuggle with me in my lap
because I was sitting on the bench. So Sunny jumped up & settled down for some petting.
Bonnie saw this and immediately jumped up too! She hung out on my DH's lap awhile, and then with me. I can hardly believe ~ her 3rd day here and she is in our laps. I am so glad we let them out together today. We have 2 spoiled lap chicks now Happy little family!!
It's the middle of August now, and these 2 birds have not argued at all not even once.
Fast forever friends good luck introducing your birds!
Adding New Chickens to Your Flock:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-adding-to-your-flock
(actually pullet to pullet)
Introducing can be easy!
I am so happy with the successful introduction of our two chickens that I decided to make a page about it
August 2nd
So one of our last 2 birds turned out to be an upcoming roo, which would leave us with one lonely pullet!
Sunny is a very good girl, but I want her to have somebody to cuddle with during our cold winters. I read how it's easiest to rehome the remaining bird and start with new ones that can grow together ... but I do not want to start over, and I don't want to trade my sweet Sunny for 2 pullets that don't know me. If she doesn't want a friend, we'll do our best to make her a happy single hen. But I am determined for her to have a friend ~ the thought of her being endlessly alone made me sad.
I've made arrangements to rehome our young cockerel and purchase a pullet the same day.
Sunny will be alone in her run with access to her coop for a few hours while we get the new bird, hopefully long enough for Sunny to get lonely for company. She's never been alone before.
Now some would say "you have to quarantine for a month". I agree with this if you are risking your flock.
I only have one pullet left, and if it "doesn't work out ie: fight to the death" I'll just keep my chin up and replace her.
Lots of puppies and kittens -and- chicks out there in the world to be adopted!
Yes the birds are from two different sources. I 100% trust the source that I am purchasing the new bird from (NPIP, BYC, and knows her stuff!) and my own bird is the picture of health too. No quarantine time for us, our only fear is if they don't get along.
August 3rd
Gave Sunny some extra treats. Left home with a cockerel, came home with a pullet.
We didn't introduce one to the other right away, in fact we kept the new bird "a secret" by keeping her in the house.
While we waited for dark, we cleaned and rearranged everything in the coop and the run - to hopefully prevent any territorial feelings. Really rearranged it all! Added all fresh bedding and a new perch too -and changed the perch's location within the coop. Put in a new differently shaped water bowl, an additional food dish, and a large hiding box -just in case someone wanted some alone time.
An hour after dark, we snuck our new chick (both born in May, yay!) into the coop. The pretty blue pullet named Bonnie had been sleeping for an hour, I gently woke her to put her on the perch ... no words no sounds. Sunny was sleeping in the corner of the floor & didn't notice us. We hooked up the ipod to play lullabies and sprayed lemon sugar perfume to change the smell of the coop.
I waited 2 hours - didn't hear a peep - and then I snuck into the coop and gently and very slowly with no words nor sounds moved Sunny to the perch, just 2ft away from Bonnie. Lullabies left playing for 1 more hour and then I went out and shut them off. Both sleeping peacefully on each end of the roost! (We put in one 4ft long 2x4 propped up on cinder blocks)
So far, so good - we'll see what the morning brings!
(the baby monitor is on, I'm sleeping well tonight!)
I also read that you can take the original bird out of the coop and put the new one in for an hour, then put your original bird back in, but I like the idea of sneaking the new bird under the cover of darkness with sleepiness.
Here is our new pullet, relaxing in our sunroom while we do all of the rearranging:
August 4th
In the morning, after a nice quiet night, my DH turned the ipod back on @ 5am so they could wake up to soothing music. "Music calms the savage beast". He reported that they were sleeping on the new perch together = side by side!! We had the baby monitor on all night/morning - no squawking, no nothing. When I woke up and went out back they were out in the run
! A total success story. I was smiling ear to ear!togetherI gave them yummy stuffs to have with their breakfast, and they shared off the plate! ♥♥
August 6th
We have kept the girls confined to their coop and run for 2 days. We let the girls freerange today
After Sunny showed Bonnie around the yard a bit, Sunny wanted to snuggle with me in my lap
because I was sitting on the bench. So Sunny jumped up & settled down for some petting.
Bonnie saw this and immediately jumped up too! She hung out on my DH's lap awhile, and then with me. I can hardly believe ~ her 3rd day here and she is in our laps. I am so glad we let them out together today. We have 2 spoiled lap chicks now
Happy little family!!
It's the middle of August now, and these 2 birds have not argued at all not even once.
Fast forever friends
good luck introducing your birds!
Adding New Chickens to Your Flock:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-adding-to-your-flock
