praetoriv
Hatching
Good day all,
We started a small flock of 3 chickens (1 RIR and 2 Leghorns). They are about 5 months and the RIR is a good month younger than the Leghorns. Both lefhorns have started laying and the RIR is getting ready to lay. I built a coop large enough inside and out for up to 8 as we were looking to increase the flock.
Last Saturday, we were given 5 hens (3 Buff Orpingtons and 2 Black Australops) from a family who were moving and couldn't take the girls with them so we got them. It was a scary time as the 5 were at least a year old and we had to just kind of mix them together. It was stressful and my poor whites (Leghorns) were getting the worst of the hen pecking. No blood was drawn but the whites were visibly distressed. There were a few fights but overall I think things went well. We only let the chickens free rage in the evenings for an hour or so as we have dogs that like to really play with other animals so they were confined for a few days until we were sure the new flock was not populated by homing chickens
. we got our 2 white's eggs and 1 from the new crew.
I was able to build an extra chicken tunnel on Sunday to give them more run and since the fighting was not too serious I decided not to subdivide and segregate the flocks.
Sunday we got 5 eggs, 2 in boxes, 1 in coop and 2 in run. Tensions were still running high and I noticed one of our whites had dirt on the back of her head. We've kept an eye but she has laid every day. Monday was another 4 eggs with only 1 outside of the box. Tuesday must have been a bad day as we only got 1 egg.
This morning there was quite a bit of intermingling without the posturing and they all lined up at the gate while I opened the new run. The youngest, the RIR, has actually been a bit of a bodyguard for the whites as she, though, younger is bigger but, again not a whole lot of bickering now.
I know it doesn't sound like there is trouble and really just wanted to share this experience but if there are any suggestions to help keep the girls calm I'd welcome them.
Thanks for reading.
We started a small flock of 3 chickens (1 RIR and 2 Leghorns). They are about 5 months and the RIR is a good month younger than the Leghorns. Both lefhorns have started laying and the RIR is getting ready to lay. I built a coop large enough inside and out for up to 8 as we were looking to increase the flock.
Last Saturday, we were given 5 hens (3 Buff Orpingtons and 2 Black Australops) from a family who were moving and couldn't take the girls with them so we got them. It was a scary time as the 5 were at least a year old and we had to just kind of mix them together. It was stressful and my poor whites (Leghorns) were getting the worst of the hen pecking. No blood was drawn but the whites were visibly distressed. There were a few fights but overall I think things went well. We only let the chickens free rage in the evenings for an hour or so as we have dogs that like to really play with other animals so they were confined for a few days until we were sure the new flock was not populated by homing chickens
I was able to build an extra chicken tunnel on Sunday to give them more run and since the fighting was not too serious I decided not to subdivide and segregate the flocks.
Sunday we got 5 eggs, 2 in boxes, 1 in coop and 2 in run. Tensions were still running high and I noticed one of our whites had dirt on the back of her head. We've kept an eye but she has laid every day. Monday was another 4 eggs with only 1 outside of the box. Tuesday must have been a bad day as we only got 1 egg.
This morning there was quite a bit of intermingling without the posturing and they all lined up at the gate while I opened the new run. The youngest, the RIR, has actually been a bit of a bodyguard for the whites as she, though, younger is bigger but, again not a whole lot of bickering now.
I know it doesn't sound like there is trouble and really just wanted to share this experience but if there are any suggestions to help keep the girls calm I'd welcome them.
Thanks for reading.
