Mixing hen groups in new cage

[Eonflux]

If I were you, after the new cage is ready, put the new birds in there first and then move the one from your ground pen into the new cage. Spray them all with diluted vinegar with water, you shouldn’t have any problems combine them this way.

 

[Guille]

soil deterioration?? i need a bit more information on your set-up ie size of cage etc.....personally I keep my birds on the ground in a fixed aviary and we turn the soil every couple months with a small garden tiller (less often when quail are the only birds) and lay down a fresh mulch layer as needed.

To put it simply, I have 3 of them in a 1 sq meter cage, and the garden is 2 sqm (this is a garden in an apartment we are talking, not a house with an aviary). So I have them a couple of weeks in one side, then move it to the other. At the beginning there was grass, but now there is grass in neither. So they are just over the soil (with some woodchips), and it may be simpler to just get them in a more typical cage.

 

[Quailobsessed]

I'm not entirely sure I understand the problem with their current cage.

 

[Guille]

I'm not entirely sure I understand the problem with their current cage.

Let´s summarize it as garden is ruined, there is no grass, I have no space for further rotation - decision is taken to move birds from on-the-ground cage to a traditional above ground cage.

The key question is if in this move, there is an opportunity to add birds (1-2 addtl) to the current flock of 3.

 

[Guille]

How deep is the grass and dirt area? I’m just curious. I’ve never seen an indoor enclosed garden like that. Is it supposed to be to plant things or to walk your dog? Is there a sun roof over it?

Must be about 40cm deep or so. Then again, I am in the top floor, so those garden areas have access to direct sunlight and no roof (it barely rains here in Lima). It was purposed for having grass, but I have reconverted some to have a small planting area. And quails now haha.

 

[Guille]

How big is the new cage going to be in square feet? You have the best chance of them all getting along if they have plenty of space. You would want a minimum of 1 sq foot of space per bird.

When you move everyone to a new enclosure, it’s a good opportunity to add new birds because no one has established the new pen as their territory yet.

I recently read a thread about spraying the birds with ACV before combining, and I’ve done it twice so far and it seems to work. I sprayed the pen and their hides and things with ACV, I misted all the birds with acv mixed with water and then I watched and squirted anyone who tried to fight, and they are getting on fine now.

It´s gonna be a bit bigger than what they have right now, which is 6-7 sqm (so around 2sqft per bird), so by adding a couple more would definitely not go below 1, most likely will have a bit more than 1.5 sqft per bird.

 

[FloorCandy]

It´s gonna be a bit bigger than what they have right now, which is 6-7 sqm (so around 2sqft per bird), so by adding a couple more would definitely not go below 1, most likely will have a bit more than 1.5 sqft per bird.

I think if you move them all to the new cage at the same time, they will have the best chance of getting along. Just be careful of the poop on the wire, it can dry out and hurt their feet.

 

[Guille]

If I were you, after the new cage is ready, put the new birds in there first and then move the one from your ground pen into the new cage. Spray them all with diluted vinegar with water, you shouldn’t have any problems combine them this way.

Thanks for the tips!