Scrambles83
Free Ranging
Heya, very glad to finally become a member of this page. I’ve read enough threads on here over the last few years so figured it was time to take the plunge haha.
We live in Geelong, Australia.
So, we got our first hens 2&1/2 years ago. They were 18 week old ISA’s which our 3 year old daughter named Henny Penny and Bok Bok. Both stoped laying a few months ago.
They used to free range constantly even though they had a run but being a suburban property our gardens and outside area were suffering badly; either dug up to oblivion or covered in poop (or both) so they then were reintroduced about 6 months ago into just the run with supervised roaming.
We lost Penny (the alpha hen) just over a month ago , which was heartbreaking, and since then Bok has seemed a bit lost, not coming out of the coop as much or as early each morning (they were never in there except for laying and sleeping.)
SO...on the weekend I brought home 2x9 weeks old Sussex pullets (hoping they don’t turn out to be cockerels, I’m already attached!)One is light named Snow White and the other is speckled named Belle. And yes, my now 5 year old daughter got the pleasure of naming them again
They are seperate to Bok atm, they roam the run when Bok is out free ranging. There’s been a few scuffles when Bok comes back in when they aren’t ready but nothing too drastic, a charge and a few pecks/grab at a feather. They are very quick to find their escape routes haha. Bok is now getting up early again, pacing around their house and is more vocal than she has been in a long time. I’m guessing it’s because she’s a bit freaked out and curious as to who is entering her domain? We recently moved her coop too, hoping it might make her a little less territorial once we had the young ones
I can’t wait until they can co-exist, I’m thinking of letting them out to free range with her but not confident I can catch the little ones again! And it might be too soon?! First time doing introductions and I know ISA’s can be quite chookist.
We have an 11 year old terrier cross dog called Scrambles, hence the username, and he is very good with our feathered ladies. Penny, being alpha, would challenge him sometimes but he’s just a big goof and would bark and run around her until she gave up.
Any advice concerning my current introduction situation is welcome. I’ll pop pics of Bok (the ISA) and of the 2 bubba Sussex’s (Snow-light, Belle-speckled). Not great shots so no one can prob can’t help me to say if they are probable hens or Roos.
Thanks, and again, very happy to finally be a member
We live in Geelong, Australia.
So, we got our first hens 2&1/2 years ago. They were 18 week old ISA’s which our 3 year old daughter named Henny Penny and Bok Bok. Both stoped laying a few months ago.
They used to free range constantly even though they had a run but being a suburban property our gardens and outside area were suffering badly; either dug up to oblivion or covered in poop (or both) so they then were reintroduced about 6 months ago into just the run with supervised roaming.
We lost Penny (the alpha hen) just over a month ago , which was heartbreaking, and since then Bok has seemed a bit lost, not coming out of the coop as much or as early each morning (they were never in there except for laying and sleeping.)
SO...on the weekend I brought home 2x9 weeks old Sussex pullets (hoping they don’t turn out to be cockerels, I’m already attached!)One is light named Snow White and the other is speckled named Belle. And yes, my now 5 year old daughter got the pleasure of naming them again
They are seperate to Bok atm, they roam the run when Bok is out free ranging. There’s been a few scuffles when Bok comes back in when they aren’t ready but nothing too drastic, a charge and a few pecks/grab at a feather. They are very quick to find their escape routes haha. Bok is now getting up early again, pacing around their house and is more vocal than she has been in a long time. I’m guessing it’s because she’s a bit freaked out and curious as to who is entering her domain? We recently moved her coop too, hoping it might make her a little less territorial once we had the young ones
I can’t wait until they can co-exist, I’m thinking of letting them out to free range with her but not confident I can catch the little ones again! And it might be too soon?! First time doing introductions and I know ISA’s can be quite chookist.
We have an 11 year old terrier cross dog called Scrambles, hence the username, and he is very good with our feathered ladies. Penny, being alpha, would challenge him sometimes but he’s just a big goof and would bark and run around her until she gave up.
Any advice concerning my current introduction situation is welcome. I’ll pop pics of Bok (the ISA) and of the 2 bubba Sussex’s (Snow-light, Belle-speckled). Not great shots so no one can prob can’t help me to say if they are probable hens or Roos.
Thanks, and again, very happy to finally be a member
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Glad you joined. 
