Ribh's D'Coopage

[MaryJanet]

Yeh, she's a cutie! I like her floppy comb

I think merging one bird with two is always going to be a lot easier than merging a 9 new birds into 3. That said, I still expect Janet to be a bossy britches when they merge properly - for a couple more weeks I'll keep them separated, but only by wire mesh (the kind of wire mesh Americans seem to call hardware cloth).

 

[Ribh]

I have space issues so my birds in the second and third hatch of the year have to go through a rapid integration process. I keep them in tractors until they are the same size as the adults. Then one morning after I let the adults out of their shelter I close it and bring the new kids in. They have the day to get acquainted through the wire. Then when it's bedtime I open the chicken door and the older birds come in. Every now and again a new one will escape. So far, there has been little fighting and integration issues. It can be very stressful to watch but as long as blood isn't being drawn, they'll work it out. If you do have a bully, best to put the bully in time out.

When I brought out my first batch of RIW birds, I put them in their new shelter for a few days. My older Dels were all kinds of curious, when I opened the door and let the RIWs out, it was crazy. The RIWs had already established their pecking order, so the head cockerel immediately went after the head cockerel from the dels. The hens did the same. No blood but lots of chest bumping and feather pulling. I sat out there watching for probably two hours. Meanwhile a couple of the girls not interested in fighting decided they should perch on my shoulders and in my lap. After two hours and no blood, I went back to the house. The head RIW became the new leader of the flock and the head del hen retained her station in life. It took them a few days to work it all out but then there was peace in the pasture once again.
X2

It is lovely to read more experienced people's experiences & see it's both normal & will work out. I don't remember having issues last time I did this but it was a completely different set up with rescues & bantams & I don't think the rescues were in a position to challenge anybody. By the time they were there wasn't an issue.

 

[Ribh]

Yeh, she's a cutie! I like her floppy comb

I think merging one bird with two is always going to be a lot easier than merging a 9 new birds into 3. That said, I still expect Janet to be a bossy britches when they merge properly - for a couple more weeks I'll keep them separated, but only by wire mesh (the kind of wire mesh Americans seem to call hardware cloth).

If I'd had enough space That's how I would have done it but when I moved the little coop I created all sorts of issues & it really did become a last resort ie jail!

 

[rjohns39]

Even with pecking order established, it doesn't mean you won't get the occasional fruit cake. I went out one morning and all my roosters were bloody, one bad enough to put into the hospital pen (he recovered fully and I sold him last weekend for $50), he was a special roo. I sat and observed and when I identified the doer, he was promptly captured and put into the bachelor pad. Through out the winter I select cockerels and roosters who aren't going to be part of my breeding program. They go to the bachelor pad. It's a 12sqm tractor. Then when it warms up enough in spring they all get a ticket for the freezer camp bus. It only took the wacky guy a day to change his ways.

 

[WhoDatChick]

I remind myself this is the natural order of things & so long as they're not actually drawing blood things will settle down. I think you are doing a wonderful job ~ well thought out & carefully planned. It will be fine.

Thank you so much! I sure do hope so!!

 

[Ribh]

Even with pecking order established, it doesn't mean you won't get the occasional fruit cake. I went out one morning and all my roosters were bloody, one bad enough to put into the hospital pen (he recovered fully and I sold him last weekend for $50), he was a special roo. I sat and observed and when I identified the doer, he was promptly captured and put into the bachelor pad. Through out the winter I select cockerels and roosters who aren't going to be part of my breeding program. They go to the bachelor pad. It's a 12sqm tractor. Then when it warms up enough in spring they all get a ticket for the freezer camp bus. It only took the wacky guy a day to change his ways.

For all sorts of reasons I won't have roosters. Some of it is for the same reason I won't have a dog. I don't have the right personality to assert dominance all the time. Partly I had 6 cockerels offloaded on me my first experience with chickens & I not only knew nothing, I had no~one to ask. They were a nightmare ~ not to me personally but everything else that moved or breathed on our property. I also have very, very small grandchildren who love the hens, so why ruin the good thing I have going? lol I don't eat meat, even if I could bring myself to cull for meat & I'm not breeding. And having said all that I am fascinated by all the rooster threads because let's face it, the boys are gorgeous!

 

[WhoDatChick]

I have space issues so my birds in the second and third hatch of the year have to go through a rapid integration process. I keep them in tractors until they are the same size as the adults. Then one morning after I let the adults out of their shelter I close it and bring the new kids in. They have the day to get acquainted through the wire. Then when it's bedtime I open the chicken door and the older birds come in. Every now and again a new one will escape. So far, there has been little fighting and integration issues. It can be very stressful to watch but as long as blood isn't being drawn, they'll work it out. If you do have a bully, best to put the bully in time out.

When I brought out my first batch of RIW birds, I put them in their new shelter for a few days. My older Dels were all kinds of curious, when I opened the door and let the RIWs out, it was crazy. The RIWs had already established their pecking order, so the head cockerel immediately went after the head cockerel from the dels. The hens did the same. No blood but lots of chest bumping and feather pulling. I sat out there watching for probably two hours. Meanwhile a couple of the girls not interested in fighting decided they should perch on my shoulders and in my lap. After two hours and no blood, I went back to the house. The head RIW became the new leader of the flock and the head del hen retained her station in life. It took them a few days to work it all out but then there was peace in the pasture once again.


X2

Thank you ... sounds like that works out well for you! I am gonna see tomorrow when I give each of them time alone with the middles to see how they are gonna react.. I know their reaction is going to be different when everyone is all together... but perhaps the time alone with them will make things a bit more familiar when it’s time for everyone to meet all together.. I don’t know.. we’ll see how it goes and I’ll keep yall posted ... thanks for the support!

 

[WhoDatChick]

For all sorts of reasons I won't have roosters. Some of it is for the same reason I won't have a dog. I don't have the right personality to assert dominance all the time. Partly I had 6 cockerels offloaded on me my first experience with chickens & I not only knew nothing, I had no~one to ask. They were a nightmare ~ not to me personally but everything else that moved or breathed on our property. I also have very, very small grandchildren who love the hens, so why ruin the good thing I have going? lol I don't eat meat, even if I could bring myself to cull for meat & I'm not breeding. And having said all that I am fascinated by all the rooster threads because let's face it, the boys are gorgeous!

Oh man! Aint it da truth!! Roosters are stunning!!! ... I’d LOVE to have a gorgeous.. SWEET rooster!! But how do you ever know unless to try one and see.. I don’t know if I have the gumption!

 

[Ribh]

Oh man! Aint it da truth!! Roosters are stunning!!! ... I’d LOVE to have a gorgeous.. SWEET rooster!! But how do you ever know unless to try one and see.. I don’t know if I have the gumption!

I know my man could do the culling but...lol I'm afraid I tend to rather romanticise things & find the reality problematic. lol If we were on property we would come to an arrangement & we talked about it but I don't think his health is up to it. Problem solved! No roosters for me!

 

[WhoDatChick]

I know my man could do the culling but...lol I'm afraid I tend to rather romanticise things & find the reality problematic. lol If we were on property we would come to an arrangement & we talked about it but I don't think his health is up to it. Problem solved! No roosters for me!

Yea, hubs could def cull if I ever need him too.. he’s a duck hunter and on occasion when they just wound a duck and the dog brings it in alive he has to kill it on the spot.. and when he would bring the boys hunting as little children and I found this out.. you know, how he would ring it’s neck right there in front of my sweet innocent little angels !!!!!! I was livid!!!! And all the while I’m at home teaching them how to catch and raise and release these sweet little ducklings ... but now they know how to ring a neck too and it doesn’t faze them... MEN... but honestly.. that’s what I love about em.. how they can just take care of business!!
Last year when I got my chicks.. I had them maybe only 8 weeks and a giant rat took up residence right next to the mini coop.. hubs chased it down and chopped it with a shovel !!! I couldn’t even listen to it squeal .... he’s SO manly