Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

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First time having tuna, they went crazy!
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ManueB said:
@Marie2020 I am very happy that I was wrong 🙂 and that Tina is better. I will be following for your updates on her health. You are definitely among those on the thread that have had enough chicken bad news for the time being!!
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@Ponypoor how are you feeling ?
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So, I've been trying to work on improving my chicken's coexistence and haven't had much success.
( As a reminder I have two main groups who don't get along : 4 adult ex-batts and four 12 months old teenagers, plus one rooster and his free loader bantam true love Chipie who was a broody for the chicks and is hated by everyone except Théo.)

Since they all sleep in the coop, I've been locking them up together every morning in coop + run for 30 to 45 mn. Unfortunately this is not a success as the younger four just stay perched, until I open up for everyone, and the ex-batts are furious at being locked up and wait in front of the coop for the young one to come down so they can pick on them. So I'm.wondering how to change this strategy : do you think I should lock them up for a longer time ? Or should I just leave them be ?

I've also been working on improving the younger ones following me with food, the goal being to be able to lead them back to the coop. So that has worked a bit better, they now have a little bucket that they know means food and they will follow me with it, but not to the point of coming near the other chickens. They are more afraid than hungry!

One major development is that Gaston the cockerel has grown so much that he can not go through the chicken nettings anymore. My ex-batts are netted in a chicken zone of about 500m2, but the chicks and Théo and Chipie could just go through the nettings and wander anywhere. So now if I don't help Gaston to get out he's locked with the ex-batts. I thought this could be an opportunity to get them to learn to be together in a space big enough for all. Unfortunately the three other young pullets will stay with Gaston for maybe ten minutes and then they hop out and he's left on his own.
The ex-batts were not that nasty in the beginning but he's making such a fuss being afraid and jumping around that now they're beginning to be really tough on him and Léa, who's also getting quite big.

We had a sparrow hawk attack an hour ago (I spoke too soon saying those were over!). Everyone, even the group of teenagers , ran to go hide under the huge laurel tree in the middle of our chicken zone, but Gaston couldn't get inside the chicken nettings. I helped him because he was getting in a panic. Then, after the initial silence and alarm cries sequence, the ex+batts and Théo started chasing the young ones around, lots of shriek and shuffling (it's impossible to see what's going on under there) And now it's back to quiet, I'm hoping danger will force them to coexist more peacefully 😟.
Tomorrow we're going away on errands and to see my mother so we are locking them up in coop and run for half the day. They'll just have to manage. My ex-batts are so not tolerant, and Gaston is just the worst coward. I really hope it's just a phase.

Sorry for the very long post and some photos of the teens from this morning. All that rain we have been getting the last two weeks is beginning to compensate the nine months drought!

Merle
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Léa and Piou-piou
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Léa, againView attachment 3238676
Gaston flower child
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Chasing the small grass hoppers! Just like my cats when they were kittens!
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I always love your photos - but this batch are especially wonderful! I think you should submit the one of Léa and Piou-piou to POW thread so more people can drool over it like I did. They are adorable!
On your main issue I have no idea - my instinct is to leave them alone as you can't force them to be friends. I would keep working on the training with the bucket. Ultimately I guess you could build a second safe zone so that you can lock them up separately when you have to be away for any long period of time.
 

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