Three new hens and a couple of questions :)

[Jacklynn]

Well I got my new hens tonight

Three of em'! I got a partridge Cochin Bantam and two partridge Bantam Cochin/Silkie mixes. They are June 2010 hatch. Now they have started laying the lady said, will they start laying right away or will it take a couple days since I just got them?

They are fighting with my rooster, they won't kill each other or anything, will they? They have run of a large shed, so they can get away if need be

Thank you

 

[mississippifarmboy]

They might lay right away, but it usually takes a while for them to adjust to their new home.
The fighting will continue until the new pecking order is settled. It's normal when you add to a flock. Just keep an eye on them to be sure it doesn't get out of hand.
Good luck!

 

[NottinghamChicks]

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Yes they just might. I learned the hard way when I lost a beautiful LF Cochin to my existing flock. I now keep a screen seperating them for a week or two and then intergrate them slowly. I also always do it in pairs now as one can be singled out. The same could be said for three I guess as they still may single one out of the group. Seperate them if it is more than just chasing or if they cannot get enough down time or feeding time.

Good luck!!

 

[Jacklynn]

I went out and all four of them were huddled together. It was darik in there though so it could possibly have been that they couldn't see each other.

Thanks everyone

 

[RainbowBirds_of_a_Feather]

Aloha,

Sometimes they do lay the following day and then continue. But usually, with my birds at least, they take a week or two and get back into lay. They just need to get accustomed to the new barracks. I wonder if your rooster was a young fellow, or if the hens ever had a roo with them? Because you said that they were fighting with the roo when you first introduced them. Some hens will do that to younger roos. But with a older roo they tend to submit and allow mating to occur. That is what I experienced with my chooks at least. I am glad to hear that they settled and hopefully the next day will be better. Congrats on you new birds too!!

 

[abhaya]

mine took a while to get going when I first got them

 

[PepsNick]

When I got adults one laid within a few hours... Maybe she just really had to go

But most of my others took a few days. Now, if the hens hadn't started laying yet it would take longer than usual because they have to adjust to their new home and be comfortable to lay, even with nest boxes. Let the pecking order take it's place. Lasts about a week before everyone's comfortable.

 

[sourland]

If indeed they have been laying, you will probably get some eggs. After a day or two they may stop laying because of the stress of a new environment and the pecking order struggles. They and your present birds will adapt. If your original birds are also bantams, the adjustment will be quicker. If you do not provide lighting to extend their "dayight" hours, they may not resume laying until next spring.

 

[Jacklynn]

Thank you everyone ! Went out today & did a full shed cleanout. Nice & clean in there now. The roo and the hens were fighting still, so the roo is in a cage. They were bickering through the wire.

I want to put my three pullets out there, but I don't want them to get beat up because they are smaller.

There were no eggs today, I'll check later :3

They have a big piece of lattice across the door during the day, so they are getting lots of daylight

Thanks for the tips, help & advice everyone !

 

[NottinghamChicks]

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