Egg Song! Glorious Egg Song!

[chrisnjenny]

I really don't know what to tell you.  I just was wondering myself about introducing new birds.  Most of the threads say to separate for awhile allowing them to see each other.  But, you could experment going backwards if you are around to supervise.  If you're not there I would keep them separate.  That's what I would do.  I have 5 hens that are buddies, so I'm not thinking of adding newbie's yet.

yeah I would def. Not just throw them together and bail I would be heart broken if one of them got hurt

 

[dutchlion]

Great article about introducing chickens...
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/search?q=play+pen+method

good luck... we'll be doing this next year

 

[chickenhound]

As a suggestion about introducing new birds to a flock. I have the luxury of having two fenced in areas and two coops. We have successfully integrated several flocks by having the new birds in the adjacent coop and fenced in area for several weeks before the actual integration. This will allow the birds from the two flocks to get used to each other before the actual integration. I believe that a rule of thumb is that the birds should be approx. the same size as well before any integration attempt is made as a new pecking order will have to be established. Just keep your eye on them when the integration occurs. Good luck.

 

[cjpines]

As a suggestion about introducing new birds to a flock. I have the luxury of having two fenced in areas and two coops. We have successfully integrated several flocks by having the new birds in the adjacent coop and fenced in area for several weeks before the actual integration. This will allow the birds from the two flocks to get used to each other before the actual integration. I believe that a rule of thumb is that the birds should be approx. the same size as well before any integration attempt is made as a new pecking order will have to be established. Just keep your eye on them when the integration occurs. Good luck.

Good advice. We'll have to set up another coop and fenced in area. Also, having two places is advantageous if you have to separate a sick bird for awhile. Or, if one wants Cornish X's for meat as we did once. It was very hard to have meat birds mixed with baby chicks in one coop.

 

[chrisnjenny]

Thank you for all the helpful info guys... this sounds like a good plan im definitly learning things

 

[tantricdragon13]

So I've been watching my girls like a hawk since they started doing "grownup" things like singing the egg song and squatting. No eggs yet! Though it looks like they are finally showing some real interest in the nest boxes. I went out this morning and found one of the "training eggs" kicked out of the box and into the coop.I'm hoping this means that they are starting to wrap those feathery heads around the idea of the nest box and what to do in it!

 

[SixChickFlock]

So I've been watching my girls like a hawk since they started doing "grownup" things like singing the egg song and squatting. No eggs yet! Though it looks like they are finally showing some real interest in the nest boxes. I went out this morning and found one of the "training eggs" kicked out of the box and into the coop.I'm hoping this means that they are starting to wrap those feathery heads around the idea of the nest box and what to do in it!

I have 4 of 6 laying... Yesterday I had but 1 egg. Today there were 2 by7:15 am. Seems like I will always wonder! Still waiting for my first easter egg and the first day with 6.

Hehehe... Now I have to go out and check again!

 

[chrisnjenny]

Got my first egg today she laid it on the ground heres a pic of my new sexlink ella and not her first egg but the first egg she laid at my house so its my first egg

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[BunnyTheSlayer]

I have a question for everyone here....do your ladies normally sing their egg song AFTER they lay an egg? Because one of my barred rocks sings first and THEN gets down to the business of egg laying. I thought she wouldn't sing until after. She's kind of daffy lol.

 

[chrisnjenny]

Had to load them seperate... this is Ella however she hasnt made so much as a peep in the three days shes been here... no egg song