can I integrate one gamefowl hen to my flock

[alwaystj9]

She's beautiful. If things, um, don't work out, she can move to Louisiana!
Can you give her a bit of time in the run without the other birds in it so she can identify food, water and hiding locations?

 

[rosieoreoandpancake]

She's beautiful. If things, um, don't work out, she can move to Louisiana!
Can you give her a bit of time in the run without the other birds in it so she can identify food, water and hiding locations?

I know- she's so pretty and so sweet. I just can't even watch how mean they are and now I'm scared to put her in the run with them. If you were in California I'd def give her to you since I can't stomach this!

 

[rosieoreoandpancake]

Yes. They're showing her her place in the pecking order. Have they seen her before?

I've kept her separate for a week. we opened the run, and they still had access to the coop- so she went into the coop and jumped on a perch and when she jumped back down two of them attacked her and had her pinned. they seemed vicious. she didn't run away or just couldn't so we had to break it up. i'm scared to let them with her again.

 

[Geckolady]

Don't forget to quarantine. You will need a place for her to live that is away from, and not upwind of, your current flock for 30 days or more.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

You kept her seperate and visible or separate and hidden?

 

[rosieoreoandpancake]

separate but visible- eating right on each side of the fence. i alternate them between coop and run that is connected- see picture above in one of my posts above. should i only let them in run together and shut coop door so they can't even go in there?

You kept her seperate and visible or separate and hidden?

 

[rosieoreoandpancake]

She's beautiful. If things, um, don't work out, she can move to Louisiana!
Can you give her a bit of time in the run without the other birds in it so she can identify food, water and hiding locations?

oh and yes she's in the run all the time. i alternate them from coop to run so that they are always separate but connected to see each other and eat on each side of the fence, etc. so she knows where stuff is but i'm not sure she's using her instincts to get away

 

[Mrs. K]

You are separating the wrong birds. Put the bullies where you have her. Adding a single bird is a tougher integration, but you are almost there.

Go in tonight in the dark, pull the two meanest birds off the nest, and put them in the crate. If you have another space, like the garage - put them there. Leave them separate for a couple of days or a week.

So if I have the count right, that leaves two bird, I would put those two birds out in the yard. Now let the new bird in the coop/run. She can now explore around, eat, find escapes without being chased for her life. If you can feed along the fence line that often works too.

Then late in the day, let in one of the other birds. One on one, is a whole different game than 4 against one. There might be a bit of bluster, but let them work it out if you can. Take a squirt gun, or a water hose, and squirt both of them if they get into it. If it is truly terrible, try a different bird, but I don't think it will be.

After 2-3 hours, just as it is getting dark, let in the third bird. The urge to roost is nearly as strong as the urge to fight. Just watch with the hose handy, but I am expecting all those birds to get into the coop and roost. Call that good. If the new bird does not roost, but gets in the coop, that is enough.

If she doesn't, but returns to her coop, I would not fret that either. Now, I would let this trio have the whole set up for several days. Then I would add one of the two in the garage. There might be a dust up or two, but should settle, a day or two later, add the other.

If two or more of the birds are heartless, you can also use pin-less peepers. I would be strongly tempted to put these on the two in the garage. They can really help with aggressive birds, in smaller confinements.

I think this will go, but it will take some fiddling around. Did you add the clutter?

Mrs K

 

[rosieoreoandpancake]

You are separating the wrong birds. Put the bullies where you have her. Adding a single bird is a tougher integration, but you are almost there.

Go in tonight in the dark, pull the two meanest birds off the nest, and put them in the crate. If you have another space, like the garage - put them there. Leave them separate for a couple of days or a week.

So if I have the count right, that leaves two bird, I would put those two birds out in the yard. Now let the new bird in the coop/run. She can now explore around, eat, find escapes without being chased for her life. If you can feed along the fence line that often works too.

Then late in the day, let in one of the other birds. One on one, is a whole different game than 4 against one. There might be a bit of bluster, but let them work it out if you can. Take a squirt gun, or a water hose, and squirt both of them if they get into it. If it is truly terrible, try a different bird, but I don't think it will be.

After 2-3 hours, just as it is getting dark, let in the third bird. The urge to roost is nearly as strong as the urge to fight. Just watch with the hose handy, but I am expecting all those birds to get into the coop and roost. Call that good. If the new bird does not roost, but gets in the coop, that is enough.

If she doesn't, but returns to her coop, I would not fret that either. Now, I would let this trio have the whole set up for several days. Then I would add one of the two in the garage. There might be a dust up or two, but should settle, a day or two later, add the other.

If two or more of the birds are heartless, you can also use pin-less peepers. I would be strongly tempted to put these on the two in the garage. They can really help with aggressive birds, in smaller confinements.

I think this will go, but it will take some fiddling around. Did you add the clutter?

Mrs K

thank you!! so we have 3 existing birds plus the new one. so if take away the two mean ones it's the head honcho buff and the lowest easter egger. the cream legbar in the middle is all that's left. so do i intro just those two? the ee and the new little gamefowl?

 

[Mrs. K]

Yes, introduce the middle bird to the new bird, in the run/coop.

If you can, pull all three birds out and let the new bird in the coop/run by herself. There is a difference in seeing a place, and being in a place for chickens. They don't like strange, it panics them. Then being chased and attacked panics them into being unable to think. So let her have a couple of hours in there, safe and not harrassed by herself.

Then add the middle bird. Let them have this coop/run to themselves for a couple of days, until the newbie is roosting. Then put the crate back in the run. Let them see the other birds in the coop/run without the sky falling. WAIT... then either let both out, and that might work just fine. Or let one out... see how it goes... then let the second out when it is pretty dark.

If that does not work, DO get the pin-less peepers for sure, but I think it will work.

Mrs K