My pullet, Eldora, is ready to go back with the rest. I have some new toys to introduce when I put her back in to help distract the others. My DH was talking with a farmer that has 100 or so chickens and he told DH to use Permectrin II (Permethrin) and spray each chicken and the coop so everyone smells the same. Okay but, our weather is in the twenties on Sat. and the thirties on Sun. My question is will a very fine mist be enough to disquise their individual smells? And will using a very fine mist be okay in those temps? I know I don't want to get them to wet. I have moved her into the coop in her own little quarters today and plan on moving her out with the rest this weekend. Thanks for any help!
We have used this technique several times with success every time... but there are a hundred ways to skin a cat LOL.. We let them free range together for several days in a large area and when it is bed time we gather the one who has been isolated up and bring her back inside. We do this for two or three days and then one day, they just walk back in the coop at night like they belong there again and it is all good. We have done this with sick ones and new ones and it has worked very well. For the first few days of free ranging, the isolated one may stay off by herself.. that is okay.. they will mingle in their own time. And then be ready ot bed down together
jeaucamom-Mine don't free range. I have to keep them in the run. I'm concerned about getting them wet with our temps (20's on Sat. and 30's on Sun.). If I just mist them will they be okay? da-cajun-angla No, I didn't do a google search. I don't usually have much luck finding what I want.
Well.. I am not sure about whether or not getting wet in those temps would be okay. I know ours have been outside in the rain in the 40s but they don't get wet to the skin. And I also have questions about whether or not the pecking a new one will encounter has to do with smell. I would think visual clues would make a much bigger difference, that is why some people will let them see each other through a fence until they are used to each other or put a kennel or some other brooder type thing in the coop. If you go to the blue line above here and use the search button for re introduction, you will find OODLES of info. Good luck.
She is in a pen in the coop so they can see each other and get reaquainted. I thought the idea of using the spray wouldn't hurt if it weren't for the temps. I wouldn't soak them just use a mist on them due to the cold temps. I guess I will see how the situation looks when I get ready to let her out with the others.
In my experience re-introducing pullets (and sadly I am on my 4th time in less than a year!) it's more a visual thing. Previously, I kept the isolated chicken in a "cage" within the larger coop, and most arguments were carried out through the wire there. Then when they were combined, there was just a little bit of "reminding" (those light tap-pecks in the neck area) and everyone settled in pretty well. Do you let yours out of their run ever, at all? I have been bringing my current isolated pullet outside for short visits... I let her scratch around in the dirt outside the run, and the other girls can all see her there. Then slowly, I let the other girls out, one at a time, starting with the lowest in the pecking order, until they are all out mingling together. Again, a few tap-pecks but nothing major (until the big bad bully was let out, but she is just mean and that's a different story...). I think because they all have something to do, they aren't as focused on the "new girl". Maybe you could do similar in the run, like confine all the chickens to the henhouse except the new girl, then spread out some scratch or treats and let the others out one by one....???? Just an idea. Good luck and let us know how it goes. I intend to re-introduce Rita permanently today as well. I will have to put the bully in Jail, though. Stacey
I like the one by one idea. I'll have to see if I can work it. I also got them some new "toys" to occupy their little selves. Eldora is so ready to go back with the others. We have been in that deep freeze here so they haven't been going out. Now that it has warmed up I let them out for a bit yesterday and left them in this morning even though it was warm enough. I thought maybe with having been couped up for a week they would be more interested in going out than picking on Eldora!
I have always used the cage in the coop trick myself. I leave mine on the floor with a cover of some kind over the top, feed stack, carboard, anything to keep the others from leaving droppings in the cage... Then after a couple of days, I just leave the cage door open. Everything normally gets worked out pretty quickly.