Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[greenmimama]

Meant to ask a question too. I just got another hen last night, the 4th hen from the same lady, s these birds have all been together before, But the 3 that I have had are picking on the "new" girl.

WHile I was in their pen giving them food and water and collecting eggs, the one especially was going after her over and over. I would separate them and they would do it again.

I don't have any way in this coop to separate them for now, do I need to find a way?

 

[chicken grandma]

Meant to ask a question too. I just got another hen last night, the 4th hen from the same lady, s these birds have all been together before, But the 3 that I have had are picking on the "new" girl.

I would supervise them outside together, if they are interested in grazing and finding bugs they won't pick on her so much.. Then when you have to leave them alone together, put the old girls in a big crate and let the new girl have free range of the coop. When it is dark, put them on the perches. Before sun up, put the new girl in the crate and let the others range the coop. Then take them all out in the yard again together. The three hens who have staked out the territory in your coop can severely injure or even kill the newcomer. Should be o.k. in a couple days or you may have to return her? Keep us posted! Do you have a photo of the inside of your coop?

 

[chicken grandma]

Nice stove RaZ!

 

[RaZ]

Thanks, my goal is to keep some cash in my pocket and not give it to MichCon this winter.

 

[NovaAman]

The neighbor and I have both been talking about installing wood stoves too. We both still have the piping holes in the house... AND a lot of trees... LOL. I give my money to Amerigas...

 

[caz426]

Meant to ask a question too. I just got another hen last night, the 4th hen from the same lady, s these birds have all been together before, But the 3 that I have had are picking on the "new" girl.

WHile I was in their pen giving them food and water and collecting eggs, the one especially was going after her over and over. I would separate them and they would do it again.

I don't have any way in this coop to separate them for now, do I need to find a way?

I recently added a hen and at first they got all puffed up and flew up in the air at each other. I let them spend time where they could see each other, but not get together. Either using a wire cage in the free range area or closing off the run. After a few days they still didn't like each other but would perch together in the coop at night only to spend the days as far apart as they could. The drake going after the chicken hens forcing me to keep all the hens in the run together for 2 days is what finally got them all on fairly friendly terms. Good luck and hopefully they get along soon!!

i had a drake who would consistintly mount one hen from my flock. no matter how long i seperated them, as soon as they were together, he would chase only her into a corner and pin her. the drake is dead now though....hawk attacked him and a cat finished him all in one night when he was free ranging. now i make sure the drake has pick his duck hen before letting him interact with the chicken flock, sense after my drake started his "hen harrassing" he would not mate the new duck i got him.

He was spending plenty of time in the pool with his girl, started after the new chicken and I figured it was a show of dominance thing. When he went after the white leghorn I knew it was time to separate them. DH thinks maybe he got confused cause she was the same color as his girl...

RaZ - love the stove. We had one growing up and loved it!! I

 

[Stacykins]

Congrats on the new stove, Raz!

I love this home's wood and coal burning stove. It can do both safely. I use wood on the cold days, but coal on the bitter days. Something about the heat from a wood stove is nice, compared to the propane. It feels like a more even heat, so cozy. And it is nice that if the power goes out, the stove can still burn (I just have to remove the filter and burn it at a half load). A bit of a piece of mind, with this climate.

 

[Wild Rooster]

Meant to ask a question too. I just got another hen last night, the 4th hen from the same lady, s these birds have all been together before, But the 3 that I have had are picking on the "new" girl.

WHile I was in their pen giving them food and water and collecting eggs, the one especially was going after her over and over. I would separate them and they would do it again.

I don't have any way in this coop to separate them for now, do I need to find a way?

when i have hens that are particularlly brutal on a new hen. i put her in my larger, topless dog run witch sits back-to-back with the main pen. that way the new hen and the old hens can socilize through the fencing without injury. i put the new hens food and water near the fence side with the main flock on the other side, so she has to walk some-what near the main flock to eat and drink. if you dont have this set up, you can use and old dog crate, or put up a temperary fence inside or out side the main flocks run, as caz426 said

 

[RaZ]

I'm a big fan of temporary fencing. I use the step-in stakes and lightweight mesh netting to move the run around the yard, exclude the chickens from the garden or give the ground a chance to grow new grass. It worked well in integrating new birds to the existing flock as well.

I'm not sure about this wood stove...I have one duraflame log and a stick of oak burning right now. I'm getting too warm.

 

[SillyChicken]

crack a window Raz!

It was me who asked about the picture, looks great.


So my sumatra and silkie roos are tentatively sold... waiting on response to rendezvous location.