My hens are here! My hens are here!

[arpyhh]

After the long summer of waiting for the hens, they finally arrived from the hatchery. I was distressed to see that their beaks had been cut.
I didn't realize.....
Our summer long coop building project, is still unfinished but finished enough so that our new girls are safe and comfortable. What an ordeal!

Now that they are here, I realize that I haven't thought everything through... like, how much pine shaving should I put down?
How often do I scoop poop?
I don't have a separate area to bring in a few new birds for quarantine, so should I not, or have they not been here long enough to become territorial?

So many things I still need to know.
There is poop stuck to the fanny of one, do I pick her up and clean it off, or provide a bin of water for her to take a bath. Do they take water baths?

One is sleeping in the nesting box instead of the perch, do I make her leave, or let her stay?
I know they are still getting used to us, it's only been 3 days, so I want them to feel safe and comfortable.

Anyone have answers? I know many of you do!!!
Please advise this chick newbie...thanks!

 

[aoxa]

No water baths. Dirt baths

It all depends on how dirty her "tooshy" is I like how you phrased it.

Sorry to hear their beaks are cut

Just put maybe 2 inches down of shavings. Scoop out as needed. Depending on the size of your coop. You could do deep litter, but this has never worked for me. I like to have shavings clean.

IF you add new chickens, add them at least 2 at a time. If you just added 1, they would gang up on it.

Close off the nesting boxes until they are ready to lay. Looks like a few weeks yet. They should get to the roosts.

I have the same issue with teens roosting on the nesting boxes, and I have to constantly kick them off. They drive me crazy!

You do not want them sleeping in the nesting boxes. Poopy eggs are not a pretty sight!

 

[thebanthams]

Yay! Congrats! I will only answer a few! Dont worry about the amount of pine shavings. just grab a good size to cover their box. I will say about 2 to 3 inches from the bottom of box. As for one sleeping in nest box, just leave her alone for few days, she is probably stressed or she was probably a broody and didnt finish her job! She will get over it. For dirty bottoms. soak her in warm water in a little bucket or bathtub . and work on pulling the poop away or you can cut the poop away VERY carefully. They dont need baths Unless they got into something gross! (Rarely happens) They love dirt baths, so put a good amount somewhere in a corner so they can play in dirt ! By the way I love your New chicken pen !

 

[aoxa]

Yay! Congrats!  I will only answer a few!   Dont worry about the amount of pine shavings.  just grab a good  size to cover their box. I will say about 2 to 3 inches from the bottom of box.   As for one sleeping in nest box, just leave her alone for few days, she is probably stressed or she was probably a broody and didnt finish her job!   She will get over it.   For dirty bottoms.  soak her in warm water in a  little bucket or bathtub .  and work on pulling the poop away  or   you can cut the poop away  VERY carefully.   They dont need baths Unless they got into  something gross! (Rarely happens)   They love dirt baths, so  put a good amount somewhere in a corner so they can play in dirt !  By the way I love your New chicken pen !

Yes - you can give them baths yourself, but don't let them do it themselves. That's like letting an infant decide when/if he takes a bath.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Hatcheries sell finished or Point of Lay pullets to the commercial hen houses where trimmed beaks is standard operating procedure. Such hatcheries also sell these commercial pullets to the public, and usually this fact is pointed out in the website literature.

The birds are insecure about their surroundings, so the nests provide them a place to hunker down. Close them off for at least a week more, yet. Let's see if they get the hang of a roost. It's all new to them. Give it some time.

 

[arpyhh]

Ok, thanks!
I love this forum

It looks like her poop is stuck probably from being cramped in that crate they shipped them in, but I wasn't sure if I should traumatize her by cleaning it off with a wet washcloth or something.

 

[arpyhh]

Thanks for the lightening speed replies everyone!
It makes me feel like I'm not alone out here!

 

[aoxa]

Ok, thanks! 
I love this forum

It looks like her poop is stuck probably from being cramped in that crate they shipped them in, but I wasn't sure if I should traumatize her by cleaning it off with a wet washcloth or something.

Don't worry about it. They will be fine with a bath. Mine even enjoy a bath.

Blow her toooshy dry after. She will love it.

 

[arpyhh]

Ok, one more question (not)
They are all huddled in the corner of the coop- they only seem to move around and eat, or go out into the yard when I go in there. I know they are still afraid of me, but why are they huddled in there when I'm not in there?
Do they just need time to adjust?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Yup.