Oh what to do?

rancher hicks

Free Ranging
16 Years
Feb 28, 2009
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Syracuse, NY
Well, I bought 4 hens and 1 roo Delawares. And of course I've had them quarantined for a wk and a half. Yesterday the rooster and the one hen he was with got out. My other chickens are in a run. Well nearly headless nick and the hen were near the run. I propped the door to where their run is and when they went in I shut it. Then I took the hen and moved her to the other pen w/ the 3 other hens, cause he is eating the eggs. So he is by himself. Then today while collecting an egg another hen got out and she is going near the run. These are new to me birds and not friendly. I'm too old to chase these birds and I don't think that will ingratiate me with them.
So what do I do? Should I be worried? Should I just throw something at her and kill her. Shoot her. When I do get her behead her, strangle her or shake the eggs out of her?
Should I stress over this?
 
should I expend the energy to catch her or just let her go? She just wanders around the yard and sometimes goes near the run. My other girls are in the run and not let out.
 
I'm not sure what you're asking. It seems like one hen got out and you don't want her with the others and don't like chasing her, and you hate the Rooster (for a good reason). Make a separate place for the hen. They are new birds and everyone needs time to adjust. Do you spend any time with the birds? Give them some treats and they will follow you anywhere once they associate you with the treats. If you don't want them then find them a new home. I quarantine all of my new birds for at least a month.
 
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I do have them quarantined in two different places. These are grown chickens and they don't like being penned up for 30 days. They want to go out. I only have one run. I had asked previously about how people quarantined but got no reply.
I had to seperate the roo cause he ate the eggs, which I'm saving to hatch.
my other birds come right around me when I'm out in the coop or run.
I just wondered if it was an emergency for me to get her and put her back. As it is I waited till dark and she went in with the girls and roosted on the pole sticking outside the pen. I used a flashlight to pick her up and put her back. So is it and emergency to chase them down if they get out and go near the run? I have bad knees and can't run.
There pens are just a circle of fencing around a kiddie pool covered over with a tarp. I have to open the fencing to get the eggs and they freak and get out.
 
I would not consider it urgent to keep catching her & putting her back. Sounds like she & the roo have been either in with
your chickens or very near to them. I think quarentine is a moot point now.

You could rehome the newer chickens if you are stressed by the situation. Or you could take a deep breath & let them
mix.
 
People quarantine by having a separate coop and run far away from the current flock so airborne illnesses can't be carried to the original birds. Your quarantine is over, so put them wherever is convenient for you. If the new birds have a disease, the old ones have already been exposed. Hopefully this will not be the case.
 
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I'm sorry I don't mean to laugh but there are times when we're doing things that when you stop to think about it are soooo crazy like chasing a chicken around a yard or candling late at night after dark etc. etc. The idea of chasing chickens around & being worn out I SO relate to right now because I've been putting ducklings in & out of the house for a week now & I imagine when I was 22 yrs. old this wearing me out & now I'll be in the thick of moving them around & I'll think "I'm doing this because???" but then I see the ducklings swimming in their little pool & they're so cute
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& well it's hours before I have to move them in....


I agree with the others in that the quarantee time is done & over with the others being exposed already. If it were me, I would start exposing them to one another to get them all aquanted &/or the beginning of the intergraing process. like the run split in 2 with old on 1 side & the new on the other. Once they become accustomed to each other I would imagine the new chickens would just follow suit of the old in coming when they think there is food coming etc. Many of the pet stores carry crickets for people to feed their reptiles etc. & chickens just *love them*. If they think you often show up with treats like those the new ones will be looking forward to you showing up too.
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Oh & Roos & chickens here that eat eggs would be finding themselves in the soup pot.
 

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