- Aug 20, 2012
- 6
- 1
- 11
Hello! Just wanted to introduce myself...
We are a family of 4 humans, 2 dogs, 1 cat, 4 Nigerian Dwarf goaty-goats (as I like to call them), and now 1 rooster and 4 hens! We are lucky enough to have 4.5 acres in Northern CA and recently were given a rooster, a GORGEOUS Speckled Sussex, and a hen, an Americana (sp?), named Henry and Ivy.
Then, just yesterday we were given 3 more hens, 2 Buff Orpintons (sp) and a pretty black/white girl (that I can't recall the type at this moment). All of the chickens are just about 5 months old. Our friends and family are so generous!
I do have questions about integrating the new hens:
Henry and Ivy were in the coop for about 1 1/2 weeks before we introduced the new hens last night. There was a little commotion, with Henry pecking a bit at one of the Buffs. All seemed calm for about 20 min. after that, but then Ivy went after the same Buff and was pretty relentless about pinning her down and pecking at her head.
I had heard that we needed to simply allow the "pecking order" to take place. So, after about an hour vigil, during which Ivy pretty much decided to leave the buff alone, I went in the house for the night. This morning I went out to see how all did during the night. It seems that the Buff now has some small bloody peck marks on her head, so they must have been at her most of the night??
I have since let Henry and Ivy out into the run and left the 3 new girls in the coop (all with their own food and water), thinking that it would give the new girls a break. The blk/white one is as happy as a clam, scratching, eating and drinking. The two Buffs won't come out of the roosting area.
Am I doing this right? Help!! We are new to all of this and thought we were going about it correctly, but it's so hard to watch one hen treat another like this!
Thank you!!!
The Lutzenberg Family
We are a family of 4 humans, 2 dogs, 1 cat, 4 Nigerian Dwarf goaty-goats (as I like to call them), and now 1 rooster and 4 hens! We are lucky enough to have 4.5 acres in Northern CA and recently were given a rooster, a GORGEOUS Speckled Sussex, and a hen, an Americana (sp?), named Henry and Ivy.
Then, just yesterday we were given 3 more hens, 2 Buff Orpintons (sp) and a pretty black/white girl (that I can't recall the type at this moment). All of the chickens are just about 5 months old. Our friends and family are so generous!
I do have questions about integrating the new hens:
Henry and Ivy were in the coop for about 1 1/2 weeks before we introduced the new hens last night. There was a little commotion, with Henry pecking a bit at one of the Buffs. All seemed calm for about 20 min. after that, but then Ivy went after the same Buff and was pretty relentless about pinning her down and pecking at her head.
I had heard that we needed to simply allow the "pecking order" to take place. So, after about an hour vigil, during which Ivy pretty much decided to leave the buff alone, I went in the house for the night. This morning I went out to see how all did during the night. It seems that the Buff now has some small bloody peck marks on her head, so they must have been at her most of the night??
I have since let Henry and Ivy out into the run and left the 3 new girls in the coop (all with their own food and water), thinking that it would give the new girls a break. The blk/white one is as happy as a clam, scratching, eating and drinking. The two Buffs won't come out of the roosting area.
Am I doing this right? Help!! We are new to all of this and thought we were going about it correctly, but it's so hard to watch one hen treat another like this!
Thank you!!!
The Lutzenberg Family
from Ohio. So glad to have you aboard. 
