Chicken intergrating! I don't know if I have the stomach for it!

[Pando]

Hi all,

So wee update. I've extended my run, quarantined my new chooks (2x Belgian D'Anvers) and did the see but not touch system and added hiding places and extra food and water and roosts.

And this morning I put the new D'Anvers in and they are so nasty! I'm finding it a struggle not to take them out again.

One pulled my lovely Nancy off a roost! I'm finding it unbearable! I expected some pecking and some scuffles but it's harder than I had anticipated.

I'm honestly tempted to return the D'Anvers and let my two girls live in peace again!

Am I being ridiculous? I feel so guilty!

 

[Mrs. K]

Split them up. put one new girl, with one old girl in each spot... they will dust up, but one on one, tends to be over much faster, what you want to avoid is the ganging up.

Or sometimes you will have a leader and a follower. If you can figure out that, put the two original gals with the follower, and leave the leader by herself for a good week. It can be helpful to put the leader by herself away from the other three.

Take a high powered squirt gun, and give them all a good blast, when they get cranky.

Post some pictures of your set up, and maybe we can see something you are missing.

Mrs K

 

[Pando]

Thanks so much for your reply!

They have settled a lot but I think I have identified the leader. I intend to put her back in her seperate wee house and see how that goes.

I have read so much about behaviour that establishes a pecking order but it's so hard to watch. They're just so unfriendly. Feels unjust, turns out I'm soft!

 

[aart]

did the see but not touch system

For how long?

Can the new birds get away from the existing birds?

Chickens can be vicious!

 

[Pando]

They we're neighbours for just over 3 weeks. The new girls we're in a Prefab coop and it sprung a leak. And everything seemed all good between the two factions so I bit the bullet and moved them in.

It's the new girls harrassing the OGs. Really took me by surprise. They are a similar age and size. The D'Anvers are like the tiniest bit smaller.

Yeah so I set up like walls, in the coop. And some pot plants and they have roosts out there (which they're mad for)
But mostly they OGs nuts go inside the coop for a bit.

So far there are no injuries. And they seem a lot more relaxed this morning. Every one is eating at their seperate stations and there has been no chasing yet.

Thanks for your response. I think I have rose coloured glasses on when it comes to chickens and their relationships with other chickens.