- Sep 12, 2013
- 100
- 2
- 71
Ok, so I HAD 3 Silkies, an EE, and a GL Wyandotte. Two of the Silkies started crowing and one at a time, went back. The guy I got them from raises chickens and builds coops for a living. I asked him about adding one more in b/c I didn't want just three, and he said better do it now while things are slightly disrupted from removing the last roo. All he had that wasn't a chick (my girls are all 4-5 months old) was a 2 year old Cornish Game hen. Her and her roo were about to go to a couple that wanted them for meat and he said he'd rather her get a forever home, so I figured what the heck.
My head hen is Agatha, a fairly agressive EE. She used to peck me in the brooder when I'd reach in for one of the little Silkies, protecting her flock. She's still uber protective and not very friendly. Irene is behind her, a big Wyandotte that is the diva of the group. She LOVES attention and is very personable and the first to try something new (like when they first got let out into the big yard). Finally we have Autumn, a sweet little black silkie that never rocks the boat.
Kathryn is the new girl. She's the same size as the Silkie, although probably weighs 4 times as much. I tried a straight up introduction today, (she was kept separate with her roo at his place so I didn't quarantine her) and were it not for Agatha, it would have been fine. The Silkie even let Kathryn hide next to her. Irene was content to ignore her, but Agatha had to be a brat. She chased, she pecked, typical stuff to "welcome" the new girl. I was going to just monitor all day, but Kathryn wound up hiding in a spot that I thought wasn't safe, so I dragged the giant dog pen into the run, set up the cat carrier I use to transport them as a "nesting area" and gave her food and water and put a heavy blanket over it on the north side. So she's "in" with them, but not in with them. She hid in the cat carrier the rest of the afternoon, while the others free ranged.
So I've read the article here on intro-ing new birds. Obviously just one isn't the best, but it was my only option. 4 is the city max (we had five originally counting on one being a roo). Do I follow the plan to keep her in there but separate for a few weeks? Do I do the night time "sneak her in the roost" plan? Does Agatha need to spend a few days in the dog crate to take her down a notch when I do let Kathryn out? There seem to be so many ways to do this. Is this a lost cause and I should let her go be dinner? LOL
I'm okay with taking my time, just want them to all get along eventually.
Thanks!!
My head hen is Agatha, a fairly agressive EE. She used to peck me in the brooder when I'd reach in for one of the little Silkies, protecting her flock. She's still uber protective and not very friendly. Irene is behind her, a big Wyandotte that is the diva of the group. She LOVES attention and is very personable and the first to try something new (like when they first got let out into the big yard). Finally we have Autumn, a sweet little black silkie that never rocks the boat.
Kathryn is the new girl. She's the same size as the Silkie, although probably weighs 4 times as much. I tried a straight up introduction today, (she was kept separate with her roo at his place so I didn't quarantine her) and were it not for Agatha, it would have been fine. The Silkie even let Kathryn hide next to her. Irene was content to ignore her, but Agatha had to be a brat. She chased, she pecked, typical stuff to "welcome" the new girl. I was going to just monitor all day, but Kathryn wound up hiding in a spot that I thought wasn't safe, so I dragged the giant dog pen into the run, set up the cat carrier I use to transport them as a "nesting area" and gave her food and water and put a heavy blanket over it on the north side. So she's "in" with them, but not in with them. She hid in the cat carrier the rest of the afternoon, while the others free ranged.
So I've read the article here on intro-ing new birds. Obviously just one isn't the best, but it was my only option. 4 is the city max (we had five originally counting on one being a roo). Do I follow the plan to keep her in there but separate for a few weeks? Do I do the night time "sneak her in the roost" plan? Does Agatha need to spend a few days in the dog crate to take her down a notch when I do let Kathryn out? There seem to be so many ways to do this. Is this a lost cause and I should let her go be dinner? LOL
I'm okay with taking my time, just want them to all get along eventually.
Thanks!!
