Pinless Peepers

[melissadennis0]

Newer to chickens but looking for suggestions. Having difficulty integrating 4 hens into existing flock. All are under 7 months of age and relatively the same size. Two hens nearly scalped two of my newbie hens today. I separated them and brought them back into their brooder and clean their wounds . Just wondering if anybody has used these peepers and would recommend them ? Are they safe? Can they still eat and drink with them?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Welcome To BYC

Can you post some photos of your set-up? Coop/run and how much space of each (sqft)?
How did you try integrating them - were the "new" chickens placed next to the existing flock for a couple of weeks so they could see each other or were they just all put together?

Hens can be very aggressive to newbies. I'm sorry that you have a couple injured. Hopefully they will heal quickly so you can re-start the integration period.

Any other photos or information you would like to share would be most welcome.

 

[melissadennis0]

When you get ready to try again, place them in a run/housing next to the existing ones so they can see each other for a couple of weeks. This can help (sometimes) may integration go more smoothly. There is still going to be some picking/pecking/chasing and scuffles until everything is sorted out - this can take time and patience.

You want to have plenty of room, probably add an extra feed and water station and have barriers and/or some places where the younger ones can get up and out of the way of the older birds.

Look up and do some reading/research on "see-but-don't-touch" integration.
Hopefully with a few adjustments, things will get better for you.

Thank you. Just told hubby he will need to enlarge the cage area and put it side by side and we will slowly work them together, hopefully

 

[melissadennis0]

Well based on results perhaps you could tweak the approach a little bit. Make a pen within your pen so they can see each other yet be safe. Wire off a section place food and water in it for them. It takes awhile for older birds to accept newer ones. If you got off to a rough start you can always start over.

Thank you. My husband is going to add more fence panels next to the existing cage area but keep the new hens separate for a few weeks and hopefully that works.

 

[MissChick@dee]

Did you just put them all together? Meaning you put them all in the same run without any separation in area of the run?

 

[melissadennis0]

Welcome To BYC

Can you post some photos of your set-up? Coop/run and how much space of each (sqft)?
How did you try integrating them - were the "new" chickens placed next to the existing flock for a couple of weeks so they could see each other or were they just all put together?

Hens can be very aggressive to newbies. I'm sorry that you have a couple injured. Hopefully they will heal quickly so you can re-start the integration period.

Any other photos or information you would like to share would be most welcome.

I have 4 newbies that I tried adding to the existing flock of 8. Original 4 born in April, 4 more in June and 4 in August. The August are Asian Blacks and the same size as the June group of girls and that’s the hens causing the problems. Here are a few pics. The first cage area is where our lab is and then their cage are and coop behind that. Coop is outside their cage but not sure how clearly it will show on the pic. Since I have two small children they don’t free range. Didn’t want to take that risk.

 

[aart]

Pinless peepers are a last resort, IMO.
Man, that's a LOT of deer!
Wonders about the pool too.

Here's some tips and links that might help....

Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

This used to be a better search, new format has reduced it's efficacy, but still:
Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, BUT some info is outdated IMO:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

 

[melissadennis0]

Sounds like a plan! Placing them side by side is a good idea, you can always leave that added space to give them more room. It would also come in handy if you find that you need to separate birds.
I am curious, I see a pool(?) in the chicken run, do you have ducks too?

Pool was for the summer months when it was hot out. I would place a small amount of water in it and clean and replace daily so that if the temps were high they could cool themselves if they needed to. We generally have about 20 deer in our yard. We have 14 acres but husband has also seen fox, coon, coyote and owl on his trail cams so when we built the coop and pen I told him it better be like Fort Knox or he would have two angry children to explain to lol

 

[alexa009]

I have never used the pinless peepers but most chicken owners do and they don't affect eating or drinking at all. They usually do stop feather picking and are always a success.

 

[melissadennis0]

I have never used the pinless peepers but most chicken owners do and they don't affect eating or drinking at all. They usually do stop feather picking and are always a success.

Great thank you. I don’t want to hurt or anger my
Existing flock but the aggression from specifically two hens towards the 2 newer ones was out of this world. I was anticipating maybe the rooster going after them not the hens that are only 4-5 months old. Trying to integrate before it gets too cold out so the newer ones have time to adjust but not sure if this is the best way to go. Can’t hurt to try it I guess.