Easter Egger club!

[Lorraine436]

I am desperate for help!! I have 9 adult chickens (1 rooster and 8 hens) that are 6 mos old. I also have 4 younger hens - 14 weeks old. We bought a separate smaller coop (portable) and placed it right next to the larger coop. The younger ones were put out there when they were 8 weeks old. They are let out together to eat and the younger ones keep their distance. There is some bickering that goes on that is not the problem. My dilemma is that one of the younger 4 is a bantam easter egger (it was as substitute when mail ordered). She is the size of a pigeon. She gets along fine with the younger group which consists of 2 brahmas and 1 buckeye. She is frightened of the older hens - one in particular - my bantam silkie (she "is" mean to her). I had enough one day and put them all in the larger coop determined they would have to work it out - she freaked out and flew to try to get out of the coop and almost strangled herself on the wire fence. It is her fear that has kept me from attempting to put them together again.

I'm not sure how much bigger she will get - right now her best friends are the brahma's which are the second largest chicken. She is small enough to run under them.

How can I get them all together without stressing her out? How much bigger should she get?

Thanks!!!!!

 

[tatertot]

LOL! I think that's why I baby them when they start doing the little egg dance. Poor babies. They're so cute and needy the first couple of times.

What is the egg dance

 

[tatertot]

If I were me I would keep them seperate til they are bigger
But keep them where they can still interact...then try introduction at night but be there at first light...you can fill a squirt gun and squirt the mean one when she bullies
.

I am desperate for help!!  I have 9 adult chickens (1 rooster and 8 hens) that are 6 mos old.  I also have 4 younger hens - 14 weeks old.  We bought a separate smaller coop (portable) and placed it right next to the larger coop.  The younger ones were put out there when they were 8 weeks old.  They are let out together to eat and the younger ones keep their distance.  There is some bickering that goes on that is not the problem.  My dilemma is that one of the younger 4 is a bantam easter egger (it was as substitute when mail ordered).  She is the size of a pigeon.  She gets along fine with the younger group which consists of 2 brahmas and 1 buckeye.  She is frightened of the older hens - one in particular - my bantam silkie (she "is" mean to her).  I had enough one day and put them all in the larger coop determined they would have to work it out - she freaked out and flew to try to get out of the coop and almost strangled herself on the wire fence.  It is her fear that has kept me from attempting to put them together again.

I'm not sure how much bigger she will get - right now her best friends are the brahma's which are the second largest chicken.  She is small enough to run under them.

How can I get them all together without stressing her out?  How much bigger should she get?

Thanks!!!!!

 

[Lorraine436]

If I were me I would keep them seperate til they are bigger
But keep them where they can still interact...then try introduction at night but be there at first light...you can fill a squirt gun and squirt the mean one when she bullies
.

Thank you, I'll try it this weekend. Would you happen to know if she will get much bigger?

 

[tatertot]

Google it....I have large breeds of EASTER EGGERS...I'm unsure how big Bantu hens get...sorry not much help...oh you also need to put extra food and water in other areas of the run so the subordinate hens don't get bullied from it

 

[tatertot]

Also hang some greenstuff or old CDs...give them toys...
Mine go nuts when I rake the bedding into piles

 

[AlpineButterfly]

I am desperate for help!! I have 9 adult chickens (1 rooster and 8 hens) that are 6 mos old. I also have 4 younger hens - 14 weeks old. We bought a separate smaller coop (portable) and placed it right next to the larger coop. The younger ones were put out there when they were 8 weeks old. They are let out together to eat and the younger ones keep their distance. There is some bickering that goes on that is not the problem. My dilemma is that one of the younger 4 is a bantam easter egger (it was as substitute when mail ordered). She is the size of a pigeon. She gets along fine with the younger group which consists of 2 brahmas and 1 buckeye. She is frightened of the older hens - one in particular - my bantam silkie (she "is" mean to her). I had enough one day and put them all in the larger coop determined they would have to work it out - she freaked out and flew to try to get out of the coop and almost strangled herself on the wire fence. It is her fear that has kept me from attempting to put them together again.

I'm not sure how much bigger she will get - right now her best friends are the brahma's which are the second largest chicken. She is small enough to run under them.

How can I get them all together without stressing her out? How much bigger should she get?

Thanks!!!!!

My 20 week old bantam easter eggers range in weight from 760 to 860 grams. Looking at their growth plot on a log scale, they are approaching a steady state weight, but are still growing a bit.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I've found the personalities of my EE's on the flighty side compared to the other more standard breeds I have. I think it is part of their behavior. I think she will settle in but I think you can always count on her being more on the flighty side. When she comes into laying she'll settle more for you and probably be first in line...LOL. But give her some time. Sweet thing.

 

[iwanaplae2]

Iv read to put them in a cage inside the coop for a couple of days so they can see her but not bully so easy...then when night falls put her up on a roost but be out there before first light just in case they attack her....you'll have squabbles cause it upsets their pecking order....IV read that its best not to introduce them as a single bird but like three or more if possible

Thanks. I had no choice but to add only one. I am only allowed 5. And I already had 4. Hopefully they won't attack her. She is a month older, not to mention bigger. But then it would be 4 against 1...so I got nothin' lol
I've got a little while before I have to worry about it though. I've only had her 3 days.

 

[insanity]

I do the cage thing plus the first day or two after introduction I give extra treats, usually raw corn on the cob or fruit. They are so busy with candy they don't have time to fight. Good luck.