Sweet Pea and the pecking order

[Killer Tomato]

Thanks! It's a huge field, (165sqft) with a high block wall all the way around. Located in the center of the block, it feel like a secret garden.

Tomorrow I will open the door and see how it goes. Since I have the two coops, I am hoping that if they have any problems, they will run to their own space if they feel scared.

Again, thanks!

When I introduced my newest pullets to the older hens, I lifted up their wire fence (on their separate play pen area), propped it on some logs, so the new birds could venture out, but scuttle back to safety if needed. My older hens were WAY too big to get under, but the Littles did just fine.

They had been "looking but not touching" for about a week, and it was the easiest flock integration so far. Transitioning the Littles to the big kid coop was a different story -- we have a large coop, and built extra roosts, but there were a lot of angry evenings. My lead hen still honks and bullies the not-so-Littles at roosting time.

Good luck!

 

[beati]

When I introduced my newest pullets to the older hens, I lifted up their wire fence (on their separate play pen area), propped it on some logs, so the new birds could venture out, but scuttle back to safety if needed. My older hens were WAY too big to get under, but the Littles did just fine.

They had been "looking but not touching" for about a week, and it was the easiest flock integration so far. Transitioning the Littles to the big kid coop was a different story -- we have a large coop, and built extra roosts, but there were a lot of angry evenings. My lead hen still honks and bullies the not-so-Littles at roosting time.

Good luck!

Thanks!!

 

[aart]

Hello Everyone!
Thought I would do an update on Sweet Pea and the new girls
So my dear neighbor and friend had an old coop she wasn't using and gave it to me for the newbies, which has worked our swimmingly!
I think part of the problem, (although, as a beginner I may have this wrong, was that SweetP had just been abused by Dusty, so when the new girls came, she was a bit off her game.
It's been a week since they have been separated. SweetP, who is free range, hangs out by their coop and they chat, which is fabulous!
My question is how much longer do I wait to let the new girls out of their coop?
Since they are chatty, does that mean that SweetP may fair better than last week?
Again, thanks for all your help!
Cheers,
Lori

Which new girls....the 2 wyandottes, how old are they???

 

[beati]

Y

Which new girls....the 2 wyandottes, how old are they???

Yes, it’s the Wayndottes. They are a little over a year. One of them has just started laying eggs

 

[MissChick@dee]

Too late....now start over.
They need at least fencing between them. I introduced mine Very Slowly perhaps over kill but I’ll keep young ones separated until they are almost the size of adults. And two adults if there was no sign of aggression for at least a week maybe two.

 

[snow5164]

Y

Yes, it’s the Wayndottes. They are a little over a year. One of them has just started laying eggs

Oh I thought you said you were returning the yearlings ??

I’m lost ...but if it’s been a week and sweet pea is visiting them that’s a good sign ,

Free ranging them is also less stressful for introducing...

Good luck tomorrow

 

[beati]

Thanks! I thought about returning them, but then I read the article about integrating and decided to put them in their own coop and see how it went.
They were only together for a few hours on their first day, but as it was right after the Dusty attack, I think SweetP was just too stressed out so the little ones had the upper hand. That's when I was thinking about returning them. Now they appear to be hanging out, well the Wayndottes are in their coop and SweetP is outside. So if you guys think a week is enough time, then tomorrow I will let them free range together.
Thanks for all the advice!

 

[beati]

Here they are in their own coops

 

[beati]

Too late....now start over.
They need at least fencing between them. I introduced mine Very Slowly perhaps over kill but I’ll keep young ones separated until they are almost the size of adults. And two adults if there was no sign of aggression for at least a week maybe two.

Thanks. I am not sure what too late, start over means? Currently, they are separated, but they are chatty

 

[aart]

Are the SLW panting?
Might try letting the SLW range for a day, before letting SP out.