Good Morning: I am from Pembroke Ont. about 100 kilometre west of Ottawa. We are in the mist of one of the coldest winters days here! Starting to hope that spring is soon upon us. I just started into chickens last spring. I have lost 2 hens through the past year due to the same problem. Can't remember what its called but I looked it up and its when there is an egg stuck. I tried every thing that was told to me but, neither survived. So right now I have 3 red shavers and 1 silkie of some sort.
When my husband asked me the other day what I wanted for my birthday I said 2 more hens. I seen these nice black sexlinks on the internet that I love. So Sunday we are going to pick up 2 of them for my birthday and soon as I see another silkie I would love to get another for a friend for my fancy, and also they are just so darn cute! She has such a personality, I just love her. Not that I don't love the others but I must admit she is my favourite. and my other red hen that I really loved called her Lucy but she is one of the ones that died on me.
We had chickens and pigs etc when I was growing up, and I will admit that the chickens were my least favourite! But they were meat birds, with no personality. But the hens are different and I can spend alot of time just being around them. I find them so amusing and have a very positive affect on your mood.
The one thing I worry about is introducing the 2 new hens to the others in the coop cause my hens do not like the snow and will not set foot outside, so we just leave them in unless its a nice sunny warm day I can usually get them to come out for awhile. Just afraid they might really pick on the new ones and there isn't alot of space for the to get away.
Any suggestions - the people I'm getting them from said to introduce them at night and to hang a cabbage up for a distraction.
All good suggestions already.
I would add to put out extra waterers and feeders, so the new ones will still have access to it. Pecking and rough housing is going to happen, you just have to let it but be sure that it doesn't get out of hand (blood drawn, injuries, etc.) You have to remember that when you are adding new blood, the pecking order is needing a re-adjustment (and the pecking order is everything), and squabbling, pecking and scrapping is how they go about doing it. I find springtime is a little rocky for their pecking order anyways, as there is molting, etc. happening which can tip the scales in favour of a lower hen, etc.
The integration can really depend on the new hens' temperaments too I find. Bossier girls who are hard-headed make the process more straining then girls who are more docile and don't challenge the other girls as much. The lower pecking order girls will be the most tough on them, through my personal experiences with adding new flock members.
If your able to have them out, I think this would be beneficial. I have shovelled snow out of the run just so there is some extra space. You can add straw on top as well to help them walk on it if they really dislike it. Lure them out with treats. Let the new ladies get a lay of the coop and investigate without the other ones having them on constant edge.
Also, its good you are adding two chickens as this will lessen the "picking on" aspect. The more new chickens, I find the better (chicken math
), as there is more then to take the targeting from the established flock. Remember their territorial and the new chickens will be viewed as intruders. I have a secondary (smaller) coop and run beside our primary run so that they can see but not touch each other for a few weeks, then I introduce them into the same run. I have this go for about a week, increasing the time they spend together each day until its full days they are together. Then, when it's settled down a bit and they both figured out footings, I lock them all up in the same run. Settles down within the week. Usually the newer ones lower then the older ones. I do have a rooster though, and he keeps the squabbles so they are not dangerous.
Be sure to quarantine your new girls for at least 30 days away from your flock to be sure they do not harbour anything you don't want your flock to have!
Good luck. It should settle down in a week or two.
