***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[subhanalah]

Lol

Are you going to try to make a scale less chicken breed?

 

[Kassaundra]

Lol

Are you going to try to make a scale less chicken breed?

Already been done. Israel has been working hard on it, the UofA fowl program has a flock and there are others.

 

[subhanalah]

Already been done.  Israel has been working hard on it, the UofA fowl program has a flock and there are others.

so, you're not going to?

 

[Kassaundra]

so, you're not going to?

It all depends on how successful I am at overwintering the scaleless. If I can w/I reasonable methods keep Rudy alive and healthy I will set out to purposefully breed more. If keeping him healthy is to hard then I will purposefully work away from the genetics in my flock and stick w/ just regular NN

 

[subhanalah]

It all depends on how successful I am at overwintering the scaleless.  If I can w/I reasonable methods keep Rudy alive and healthy I will set out to purposefully breed more.  If keeping him healthy is to hard then I will purposefully work away from the genetics in my flock and stick w/ just regular NN

great point

 

[YardBirdMom]

I forgot to tell all of you two things:

FIRST, I like this thread, and the people, the best out of all I've been on! Two different ones (will not name names) I posted something and was completely ignored

Before anyone goes to thinking I'm that sensitive, really I'm not, but it was obvious when others (who know each other I presume) continue to have a conversation and skip right over me that perhaps newcomers have to earn their attention. No thanks, I like my Okies who are friendly to everyone! Gotta love this state and it's people Yeah, I'm a bit biased maybe.

On to the next thing:

I've had this dilemma about how to introduce the girls who are early March birds with the Mid April birds. For several days I opened the coop and let them meander (more like try to kill) around each other. Each flock hollered and pipped and pretty much stayed segregated. Next week I'll be gone 3 days and it is IMPERATIVE that these 'folks' learn to co-mingle for food and water purposes.

Finally, late one evening (three days ago) I left the coop door open so that come morning they'd have NO choice, but to wake up and get acquainted. Not happening! The younger ones are in the coop and the older ones are squawking in the run and not happy about these intruders. Once in a while two hens (one black, one red and I assume the leaders) would go in the coop, whip up on a few and run out having a meltdown LOL It was kind of funny to watch. I would intervene when needed and shoo the big girls out.

Since my plan seems to be failing I decided I had had enough and daggum it these chickens ARE going to get to know one another!
I moved all the feed into the largest I have and put both waterers in the run then kicked the young birds into the run with the older ones. This was about an hour before dark and I scattered some scratch around and talked to them like I always do. There were some squabbles, but nothing too bad. I stayed with them til everyone settled and started to roost. This morning they are kind of mingling, but still some pecking going on and still two separate flocks. I opened the run door to see if anyone wanted to free range and my older group charged out of there, while the young ones were content to stay in the run, so I shut them up alone.

How long will this separation go on before they bond and become one big flock? There are a couple of the larger Buff Rocks, the Cuckoo Marans roo, and one Patridge Rock girl who are brave enough to hold their own and back down the bigger girls, so that's improvement, right? lol


Is there anything else I can do to facilitate this joining?

 

[lonnyandrinda]

I forgot to tell all of you two things:

FIRST, I like this thread, and the people, the best out of all I've been on! Two different ones (will not name names) I posted something and was completely ignored

Before anyone goes to thinking I'm that sensitive, really I'm not, but it was obvious when others (who know each other I presume) continue to have a conversation and skip right over me that perhaps newcomers have to earn their attention. No thanks, I like my Okies who are friendly to everyone! Gotta love this state and it's people Yeah, I'm a bit biased maybe.

On to the next thing:

I've had this dilemma about how to introduce the girls who are early March birds with the Mid April birds. For several days I opened the coop and let them meander (more like try to kill) around each other. Each flock hollered and pipped and pretty much stayed segregated. Next week I'll be gone 3 days and it is IMPERATIVE that these 'folks' learn to co-mingle for food and water purposes.

Finally, late one evening (three days ago) I left the coop door open so that come morning they'd have NO choice, but to wake up and get acquainted. Not happening! The younger ones are in the coop and the older ones are squawking in the run and not happy about these intruders. Once in a while two hens (one black, one red and I assume the leaders) would go in the coop, whip up on a few and run out having a meltdown LOL It was kind of funny to watch. I would intervene when needed and shoo the big girls out.

Since my plan seems to be failing I decided I had had enough and daggum it these chickens ARE going to get to know one another!
I moved all the feed into the largest I have and put both waterers in the run then kicked the young birds into the run with the older ones. This was about an hour before dark and I scattered some scratch around and talked to them like I always do. There were some squabbles, but nothing too bad. I stayed with them til everyone settled and started to roost. This morning they are kind of mingling, but still some pecking going on and still two separate flocks. I opened the run door to see if anyone wanted to free range and my older group charged out of there, while the young ones were content to stay in the run, so I shut them up alone.

How long will this separation go on before they bond and become one big flock? There are a couple of the larger Buff Rocks, the Cuckoo Marans roo, and one Patridge Rock girl who are brave enough to hold their own and back down the bigger girls, so that's improvement, right? lol


Is there anything else I can do to facilitate this joining?

That's good that they've been able to see each other. I find the best way to integrate is to wait until night and put the new birds on the roost next to the old birds. There WILL be squawking and squabbling the next few days as they establish a pecking order and figure out whose in charge, but DON'T intervene unless someone draws blood. If it is a minor injury take out the attacker only. They should settle down after 5 or 6 days.

 

[subhanalah]

That's good that they've been able to see each other.  I find the best way to integrate is to wait until night and put the new birds on the roost next to the old birds.  There WILL be squawking and squabbling the next few days as they establish a pecking order and figure out whose in charge, but DON'T intervene unless someone draws blood.  If it is a minor injury take out the attacker only.  They should settle down after 5 or 6 days.

I keep my young ones in a section of the coop that's been sectioned off. From about 3 weeks they go out and stay in the coop that way for about two weeks then I open the coop door in the morning first, all the big guys go out in the yard and the little guys are let out after. It may be different for you depending on space accommodations

 

[Kassaundra]

I forgot to tell all of you two things:

FIRST, I like this thread, and the people, the best out of all I've been on! Two different ones (will not name names) I posted something and was completely ignored

Before anyone goes to thinking I'm that sensitive, really I'm not, but it was obvious when others (who know each other I presume) continue to have a conversation and skip right over me that perhaps newcomers have to earn their attention. No thanks, I like my Okies who are friendly to everyone! Gotta love this state and it's people Yeah, I'm a bit biased maybe.

On to the next thing:

I've had this dilemma about how to introduce the girls who are early March birds with the Mid April birds. For several days I opened the coop and let them meander (more like try to kill) around each other. Each flock hollered and pipped and pretty much stayed segregated. Next week I'll be gone 3 days and it is IMPERATIVE that these 'folks' learn to co-mingle for food and water purposes.

Finally, late one evening (three days ago) I left the coop door open so that come morning they'd have NO choice, but to wake up and get acquainted. Not happening! The younger ones are in the coop and the older ones are squawking in the run and not happy about these intruders. Once in a while two hens (one black, one red and I assume the leaders) would go in the coop, whip up on a few and run out having a meltdown LOL It was kind of funny to watch. I would intervene when needed and shoo the big girls out.

Since my plan seems to be failing I decided I had had enough and daggum it these chickens ARE going to get to know one another!
I moved all the feed into the largest I have and put both waterers in the run then kicked the young birds into the run with the older ones. This was about an hour before dark and I scattered some scratch around and talked to them like I always do. There were some squabbles, but nothing too bad. I stayed with them til everyone settled and started to roost. This morning they are kind of mingling, but still some pecking going on and still two separate flocks. I opened the run door to see if anyone wanted to free range and my older group charged out of there, while the young ones were content to stay in the run, so I shut them up alone.

How long will this separation go on before they bond and become one big flock? There are a couple of the larger Buff Rocks, the Cuckoo Marans roo, and one Patridge Rock girl who are brave enough to hold their own and back down the bigger girls, so that's improvement, right? lol


Is there anything else I can do to facilitate this joining?

Sounds like your doing about as much as you can. I've never had much of a problem intergrating new ones. Some people have horror stories on byc.

 

[Ksane]

I
How long will this separation go on before they bond and become one big flock?  There are a couple of the larger Buff Rocks, the Cuckoo Marans roo, and one Patridge Rock girl who are brave enough to hold their own and back down the bigger girls, so that's improvement, right? lol
Is there anything else I can do to facilitate this joining?

I've been on dog, sheep, fish, turtle, pond and tons of other forums. This is the friendliest one i've ever been on also. I think because everyone gives each other the benefit of the doubt and makes an effort to be kind. This is our state, we want it to be a good place.
As far as chicken intros? It works best to introduce them together into an area that's new to them both. We can't always do that though so I would rearrange things as MUCH as possible, just for a week if that's all you can manage. Stack things in their yard, store the lawnmower and weed eater in their pen for a week, stick some chairs or a table in there, bags on a stick to look like flags, anything. The older girls don't quite feel like it's "their" pen so they're less likely to lay claim to every grain of sand in it when things are different. The older ones will be busy fussing and griping over the changes and it'll give the younger ones time to look around. And give the younger ones a box or dog crate to escape to but lock them out of the coop during the day as long as there's enough shade for them in the pen. Just a suggestion, good luck!