Integrating the Splits -- Documenting the Process

[3KillerBs]

The 6-week-old Lavender Splits have been in see-don't-touch for 2 weeks now and I should be able to get the chick-tight inner curtain fence up tomorrow.

For the past several days I've been giving both sets of birds their treat of weeds side-by-side so that they can get used to eating as a flock:

So, once the inner curtain is up and I have set up some hiding places I'll shift the run enough to let the Splits out and see how it goes.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Just commenting so I can follow.

 

[Mrs. K]

A suggestion, letting the new birds explore the run, and hideouts, before being chased for their lives is very helpful. Although, you might not have any problems at all with that long of a see no touch. Either, turn out the flock out of their run, or put the flock, or even half of the flock where you currently have the new birds. Divide and conquer is also a good strategy.

Sometimes, you will have one or two birds that just become mean, if so, put them in the place you had the youngsters.

Good luck,

Mrs K

 

[3KillerBs]

A suggestion, letting the new birds explore the run, and hideouts, before being chased for their lives is very helpful. Although, you might not have any problems at all with that long of a see no touch. Either, turn out the flock out of their run, or put the flock, or even half of the flock where you currently have the new birds. Divide and conquer is also a good strategy.

Sometimes, you will have one or two birds that just become mean, if so, put them in the place you had the youngsters.

Good luck,

Mrs K

Thanks for the advice. I could let the little ones out before I let the adults out by maybe an hour -- but I can't keep the adults locked into the coop without their food and water more than that.

I haven't seen any signs of aggression through the wire. I'll be sure to supervise the introduction.

It would have been so much easier if the new coop were ready so that I could put them both into an unfamiliar territory, but it suffered all the usual delays plus Lowes being actually out of the lumber we needed at one point.

Maybe that will be possible for the new kids.

 

[Sally PB]

Waiting for another installment in the story...

 

[3KillerBs]

Waiting for another installment in the story...

I should be able to get the inner curtain up tomorrow and start working on providing the hiding spots in the run.

 

[3KillerBs]

I'm sitting in the run with a cup of coffee while they do their first exploring. I'll give them 15 or 20 minutes then let the ladies out.

 

[3KillerBs]

So far so good.

Each of the adults came to check out the Splits and then walked away, except for Dumpling, who made the boldest of the Splits move back before she walked away.

I sat with them watching until I was sure that the Splits knew how to get in and out of their mini-coop and came in for coffee.

Additions to run clutter sized for the little ones:

Two doors in and out of their mini-coop:

Extra water station. I'm hoping the Ladies will teach the Splits how to use the nipples.

More photos in a bit. DH wants to get out the door to the hardware store.

 

[3KillerBs]

Funny little things! They're spending more time in their own little coop and run than out in the big world. I thought they'd be right out and about because they'd had MUCH more room in their previous home.

But they know how to get in and out so they'll choose their preference.

Cordon, my head hen, inspecting them.

Chipotle takes her her to see what's up. She's not impressed.

Dumpling, the Brahma, made the boldest one move back and, later, defended her right to the best cantaloupe guts.

A widely-scattered treat of scratch to encourage peaceful eating together.

And the Splits rest in the shade behind their mini-coop on a HOT day.

 

[3KillerBs]

No photos because I've been so busy planting my garden today, but I've seen them out and about. They're edging respectfully around the big girls and staying in a tight flock.