PLEASE HELP I DON"T KNOW WHAT TO DO

[black_cat]

I've calmed down now. I've been out with them for 45 min-ish, and I've noticed that 2 of the RIRs are bullying the leghorn. I pushed some grit and shell through the hardware cloth, and they are stopping her from getting at it. I don't know what to do about this as they are all still scared of me, the leghorn especially. The other RIR has just stayed in the coop-I didn't think that they would be laying eggs already because of stress. But she might be laying an egg? I think that the plan of attack is this:
-When they're all in the coop, go into the run and put something over the opening. Then put the proper amount of litter and stuff in the run. Hang the grit and shell.
-Get some temporary fencing up. Chicken wire with netting on top, probably. Not for predator proofing, just to prevent chicken escape.
-In the evening, refill the food and water and move them to the run.
I'll go get some pictures now. I'm going to sit with them basically all morning, and hopefully they'll be less afraid.

 

[black_cat]

Can you post a picture of the setup? How old are these birds supposed to be?

I will ask how old they're supposed to be. They've supposedly been together before, so we HOPEFULLY wouldn't have pecking order issues, but....yeah. We already have one. It'll be interesting to see how it turns out.

 

[NatJ]

They've supposedly been together before, so we HOPEFULLY wouldn't have pecking order issues, but....yeah. We already have one.

I'm guessing they've been "together" in a large pen with lots of other chickens--several dozen or more. But not in a small pen with just these particular hens. So they're having to learn how to interact with just these few, in this small space.

-When they're all in the coop, go into the run and put something over the opening. Then put the proper amount of litter and stuff in the run. Hang the grit and shell.

Sounds like a very good plan. And having litter and other stuff in the run will probably help with the pecking, because they will have something to think about other than "she's in my space."

 

[black_cat]

They don't look very good, but I'm hoping that that will improve with time. Two of them have clipped beaks and one has no tail. Some scabs on their combs, missing feathers, and something weird going on with their ears.

 

[aart]

PICS....Please!

 

[black_cat]

PICS....Please!

I took them but they're not loading properly? I don't know why.

 

[RobertaD1]

This is the "renting" chickens and coop that you've spoken of in other posts... right???

 

[black_cat]

This is the "renting" chickens and coop that you've spoken of in other posts... right???

Yes.....I tried SO HARD to convince to just buy things as it is more cost efficient and less of a hassle, but I was overruled. I'm going to do EVERYTHING I can to keep these hens, as it is clear they are not treated well at the farm. The coop and run are bigger than the dimensions they told us, which is a nice surprise. We also got a free hen, another nice surprise. They are much less afraid of us now, besides the leghorn, but I think that leghorns are a very skittish breed in general. No eggs yet, but I'm assuming that that's from stress.

 

[LadyAchee]

Try uploading one picture at a time.

 

[RobertaD1]

Well, you can make this work.... try one picture at a time, and let's see if we can get you through the worst of it. THEN, you need to report this company! They shouldnt be leasing out sick birds! If they have an overcrowding situation... then that is something else that should be brought to their attention.