Mean Girls: Chicken Edition

[micstrachan]

x6 on Mr. Lavender. Those are beautiful birds!

 

[aart]

Is there anything that I can do..... to get some eggs out of these little boogers?

Ya gotta squeeze 'em real hard!! Nonono, just kidding.

Molting on the old girls, stress from adding new flock members, cockerels can cause stress, new birds may not be old enough yet or stressed from move, days are shortening. There's a lot of possible reasons for no eggs.

Why the new won't go into the coop, the olders probably won't let them. Not unusual.
Hopefully you have a good large coop, a second roost might help. Will paste my integration notes below, something there might help.

Oh and in case you didn't get the message.... x7 on the lav cockerel.(really people, x3 is enough )


Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

This used to be a better search, new format has reduced it's efficacy, but still:
Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, BUT some info is outdated IMO:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

 

[rgmarch_]

Holy cow. What the heck, y’all?! The lady that sold me the two lavenders assured me that they were hens. I am so upset and feel comepletely defeated with this whole chicken thing. Neither of them crow yet, but I guess that’s coming. Dang it. Here’s a better picture of the two of them. Do y’all still think so? You all are so absolutely wonderful and helpful! Thank you all so much for the advice!

 

[rgmarch_]

Hi, whatcha feeding them ?

Just the standard chicken feed from Tractor Supply. I also mix in granite occasionally to help with digestion.

 

[rgmarch_]

Do you know how old the older hens are? Hens over a year will quit laying this time of year to molt. Many hens will take breaks from laying.

Is it possible your hens have hidden nests?

The lavender on the left might be a rooster, I think I see saddle feathers.

Chickens live by a pecking order and don't welcome new members as they see them as competition for the territory. It isn't them being mean, it's just the way chickens are.

I don’t have a clue how old the other are. The previous owners of the house didn’t even tell us that they were ours until closing. They have been less than helpful on the chickens and other issues with the home

 

[Granny Hatchet]

give us a side view of the top chicken. Now Im not so sure.
There are a lot of different feeds at TSC. Layer is what you would want. Or I really like the flock raiser and then add calcium in a different bowl for them .

 

[Chickassan]

Yes honey that's one boy and one girl. Don't get downhearted though we've all gotten suprises in our flock at least once or twice. He's pretty at least that's good right?

View attachment 1169363 Holy cow. What the heck, y’all?! The lady that sold me the two lavenders assured me that they were hens. I am so upset and feel comepletely defeated with this whole chicken thing. Neither of them crow yet, but I guess that’s coming. Dang it. Here’s a better picture of the two of them. Do y’all still think so? You all are so absolutely wonderful and helpful! Thank you all so much for the advice!

 

[Granny Hatchet]

Just the standard chicken feed from Tractor Supply. I also mix in granite occasionally to help with digestion.

also put the grit in a different bowl. You dont want them filling up on it .They will get what they need.

 

[rgmarch_]

give us a side view of the top chicken. Now Im not so sure.
There are a lot of different feeds at TSC. Layer is what you would want. Or I really like the flock raiser and then add calcium in a different bowl for them .

I will get a full 360 tonight! I believe it is layer feed. The pellets.

 

[rgmarch_]

Yes honey that's one boy and one girl. Don't get downhearted though we've all gotten suprises in our flock at least once or twice. He's pretty at least that's good right?

That’s true. It’s just frustrating. I want so badly to be a good chicken Mama and I don’t feel like I am since I can’t even tell the difference between a boy and a girl.