Need Help With New EE Hens

[cheeps]

Despite my protests, DF just showed up with two EE hens. We have 6 month old RIR's, one roo and 3 hens. These Americanas are somewhere around the same age but of course are a bit smaller.

I'm really worried about putting these two groups together. I'm afraid the EE's are about to get a whoopin! I have one coop with one house. What will happen if I put them together?

Also, I have a 6 foot fence that currently has no roof or top. Are these girls going to fly away? I know my RIR's haven't dreamed of flying that high in a while, but they are so much larger than these EEs. I definatly didn't want these girls, but I don't want them to fly out and get hurt either.

Here's their pic...just because! (please pardon the quality, took with my phone)

 

[MRNpoultry]

If they are close to the same age I would go ahead and put them in together. I just just put some 1 year old chickens in with some around 5 months, they will fight, but should stop.

Just watch them to make sure they don't hurt each other. I did have to culll one of the older hens because she just about killed some of the younger ones.

Good luck

 

[can you hear me now?]

well i will say i have RIR's and 5 EE's, they are all about the same age and the EE's have surprised me when they were introduced together.They may be small but I always remember the old adage, Dynamite comes in small packages.My opinion is that they can take care of themselves if you put them together.If you put them in the fenced in area with no top I am almost suer they will fly out. Mine are quite capable of flying that high.Good luck with what ever decision you make.

 

[TaLani]

Pecking order fusses will definitely occur, but as long you keep a close eye on them & watch for bad injuries, the new banties will be fine. I would recommend QUARANTINE of these new banties for at least a month though before you introduce them to the rest of your flock. As far as to if they will escape, it's hard to say - were they used to free ranging before you got them? If so, they may try to fly to the top of your fence and get out. Won't know until you try I suppose.

 

[JennsPeeps]

1. quarantine them for a month, during which you need to watch them for signs of disease. don't cross-contaminate them by using the same shoes, feeders, waterers, etc between the 2 flocks.

2. When you decide it's ok to introduce them, do so from behind a fence. Keep them separate but visible to each other.

3. Clip one wing on each bird to ensure they can't fly over the fence.

Good luck!

 

[Chicken Woman]

I have a plastic netting stretched across the top of my run. You can buy a roll of 50 feet for cheap. Look at a place that has a garden section like Lowes or Home Depot. It is meant to put over berrie bushes to keep bird from eating them.
I have RIR's and banties together that are the same age and they have figured it out. But the banties fly in the trees without the netting.

 

[cmom]

I agree with the other posts. Quarentine these new banties for at least a month though before you introduce them to the rest of your flock. The two should be fine at night in the pet carrier. A chicken tractor would be a nice thing to put them in during the day. When you do introduce them put the pet carrier in the area with the rest of the flock too so if they do need a place to go to the pet carrier can be a safe place to get away from the others if they choose to.

 

[cmom]

Opps!!! I did it again a duplicate. Really it's my computer.

 

[cheeps]

Thanks for everyone's help!

I know we should have quarantined these guys, but I guess it's too late now. Didn't think about it in time! But, they came from our neighbor, and were housed by themselves, so hopefully we'll be OK.

We went ahead and clipped their wings which seems to have kept (so far anyway) them from flying out. DF will be stopping by Lowes to get some of the hardware netting. I don't give him enough credit, he had already thought of that!

So far they seem to be holding their own. They have taken over the house, my RIR's are out in the rain!!!

Stupid question, but are Americana's considered banties? Is the EE term interchangeable? They are full Americanas, the guy used to breed them but has switched to Auraconas (sp).

 

[can you hear me now?]

no i would say they are a standard breed but not bantams. I have some and they lay eggs that i would definitly not consider to be as small as a bantams eggs.