They outgrew the look don't touch pen...hence the overnight introduction. I might partition off the main coop to make it easier. I had read, in BYC, that overnight introductions, were the way to go so I was hoping it would go without a hitch.
Thanks! Maybe move them back to the goats pen until I can partition the main coop. I don't want chicken drama!
Never believe all you read.........Free range and look no touch pens are the easiest way to go.......Chickens have a strong pecking order....It could take months for things to settle and still be two separate flocks that never mingle....... Cheers!
Yes......Awesome....That is your best option right now till you have things properly set up........ Best of luck..... Cheers!
I just checked again. All is calm in the coop. The new girls are all on perches looking out the window. The other girls are out in the run or in nest boxes. They may have taken elevated positions because they feel safer but there is a calm vibe. I am going to monitor very very closely all day. I have no doubt that you are correct that I should have done look don't touch pens. If this works I will count myself lucky. If it seems to go sideways I will move the girls back to the goat pen immediately and start over.
I will tell you right now that the new Birds are hiding on the Roost......If things were calm? They would be outside with the flock, not sitting on the roost......I would just move them back to the other pen they are happy in till you are set up for the transition..... Cheers!
My 2 pullets have now been with my 2 hens for 5 months, and they are not friends, nor do I expect they will be. The hens were free range until predators attacked. The pullets are replacements for the 2 that were lost. We started out dividing the coop and run with inexpensive plastic mesh when the pullets moved outdoors at 2 months old. This necessitated making a 2nd door in the coop. After another month, the mesh was removed. The hens blame all their woes on the pullets, but it's the #2 hen that is the meanest. The youngsters are savvy about staying out of the way, and that's just the way life is for them. The hens are molting and the pullets, now 7 mo, have not yet begun laying. We have all this chicken drama to deal with and I'm buying eggs! Anyway, as other members have said in forums on integrating new members, unless there is blood involved, leave them together to work it out. It will probably be fine.
You are right, But this person has another pen and only needs to set up something else to make this transition easier...... Stress is huge to Chickens......Lack of Eggs and health issues arise........ Cheers!
I've spoken to the hubs at work about dividing the coop and it isn't an easy endeavor... I've also spent the whole day in the coop with the girls. The lowest girl on the pecking order is the nastiest to them.She will be placidly doing her thing and just run over and peck one, then go back to her thing. My middle hen is the friendliest. Just goes over, hovers, and leaves. I've put the big girls out for their daily play time for a few hours in the yard and the pullets are free to roam the coop and run. Since dividing the coop isn't possible, I'm thinking of putting the big hens into the goat pen for a couple of days. They love it in there. It's big, has ground they love to dig and dust bathe in and it will give the pullets time to establish the coop as home. It's easy to put in temporary nest boxes for them in the goat pen and the "run" is larger than the current run for the coop. Thoughts?
Sounds like pretty normal pecking order behavior to me. They just need some time to get used to each other.
