Going away for a coupe of days - what should I do?

[alecia86]

Hi everyone!

Next weekend my partner and I will be going away for 2 nights. (Leaving midday Friday, returning late Sunday) I have asked my dad to come over and check on them once a day to check food & water.

But I don't know what to do with them. We will have had penny for 3 weeks and Henny for 2. They still aren't quite getting along and I haven't put them in the same cage yet. They do free range together alright, but penny pecks Henny occasionally. I did try putting them in the cage together briefly yesterday and penny wouldn't stop pecking Henny. And Henny looked very panicked and was desperately trying to get out.

It's not a huge cage (80cm deep x approx 1.5m long) plus an 'upstairs' nesting box and 'bedroom', but my dad is building an extension for them (will probably have it today) that is approx 1m x 2m so that they can stretch their legs a bit. I will hang in this a feeder and waterer, and also put a roosting bar at one end.


So my question is - shoud I put them in the same cage tonight, so that they have a week to get used to sleeping next to each other, or should I do it at the last minute?

Currently Henny is living in a small 1mx1.5m tin shed, but it's very hot here ATM (getting up to 40 degrees celcius most days) so I don't think it's ideal to leave her in there (we let them out throughout the day whenever we are home).

Thanks for ll your help

 

[sourland]

Do not do it at the last minute - this would allow no recourse if they have a knock down drag out brawl. It may be better to keep them in separate pens until you return.

 

[cary 1973]

Do not do it at the last minute - this would allow no recourse if they have a knock down drag out brawl. It may be better to keep them in separate pens until you return.

iX2

 

[cafarmgirl]

X3. Now is not the time to try putting them together full time with basically no supervision and in such a small space.

 

[alecia86]

I'm just really concerned about keeping Henny in a tin shed when its so hot ATM. It gets quite hot inside of it in the mornings. Do you think a few days together while we are able to supervise wont be enough for them to get used to each other?

 

[cafarmgirl]

Try them and see how it goes, see if things settle down before you leave. I agree, I would not think it a good idea to leave the one bird in a tin shed in hot weather.

 

[sourland]

If you are going to try to introduce them to one another, do so sooner rather than later. If it doesn't work, you can then go to plan B.

 

[alecia86]

They already walk around the yard together, but don't like being locked up together lol. I will try locking them up and keeping an eye on them

 

[southerndesert]

If you are going to try to introduce them to one another, do so sooner rather than later. If it doesn't work, you can then go to plan B.

Gotta go with this one.... so X2

 

[alecia86]

Ok we put an extension on the coop last night, and moved the coop aswell, and I think it made it a bit more neutral for them. Penny got a bit cranky at henrietta and henrietta got a bit scared. But they both settled and appear fine this morning. I can't see any injuries on Henny so I guess that's a good thing! Hopefully they will be fine together