what age do you put the young hens in with the older ones

[DeesHens]

Wow! That is a complicated mix you have there. I have no experience on that level. But I think going by your instincts is serving you well. Hope all is well after the storms hit. I'd be interested to hear an update when you have some time to post. Not sure about breaking up buddies as being a good thing. What are your thoughts on it after trying it?
~Dee~

 

[cortner1195]

The storms are past, and all 16 of my birds are in the main pen. When I moved the two bullies, and one incidental pullet to the grow out pen for a few days it brought out the back bone of the rescues. I think this was a hard couple of days for Glenda as her best buddy went to the grow out pen for time out. However they could see each other through the fence all day. They just couldn't sleep together. She did however, have other litter mates to snuggle with. On Wednesday (two days ago) I moved the lesser of the two bullies back to the main pen in the morning. There were a few tense moments, and a feather pull or two, but all settled down quickly. Then during free range that evening I let all the birds out together, and when call to bed was sounded, all 16 went to the main coop together. There have been a few rough moments, but no one has wounds, or many missing feathers. Counting it as a success. The pullets should start laying any day. Three of the original nine squat whenever my husband pets them.

The best news to me is that the original 3 hens now seem to mix with the nine pullets in the run, and sometimes during free range. Both groups have their usual favorite activities, but they meet up and wander together as well. The young roo, and the three rescues stay very close to the coop still. A few short trips into the run on occasion. I think that is an acclimation behavior.

On splitting up the buddies for time out. I think I would have moved Glenda to time out as well to be with her BFF if they would have been farther apart. As it was with a shared wall of fence, I figured she would do ok. She wasn't at risk of being attacked without a protector. Glenda is one of nine, so they are all pretty close.

Thanks for checking on us!

 

[cortner1195]

Wow! That is a complicated mix you have there. I have no experience on that level. But I think going by your instincts is serving you well. Hope all is well after the storms hit. I'd be interested to hear an update when you have some time to post. Not sure about breaking up buddies as being a good thing. What are your thoughts on it after trying it?
~Dee~

Just read your signature line. Glenda is a black Australorp! "Glenda the Good". Her BFF (bully) is a GLW. We are in Spokane, across the state from you. I have a son in Bellingham. He works as a Border Patrol agent.

 

[DeesHens]

Really enjoyed your update on your progress. You seem to have a real knack for figuring out what will work out best.

I only have two 21 week old Black Australorp pullets. Peppa just began to lay on the 9th and Bella is showing signs of becoming a layer soon too. I really love these birds and it is the first time I have raised them. They have wonderful soulful eyes and soft feathers. They are very curious and always come running to watch me or see if I have goodies for them. I had raised Leghorns and Barr Rocks in the past but I am hooked on BA's now.

My Barr Rock Betsy is over 3 years old and gives the BA's a bad time. She is a food hog! But otherwise she is pretty nice for a chicken.

It was so interesting to me that Betsy protected me when Peppa went through a "peck attack phase" awhile back before she began laying. I think it is pay back time because she almost died when a raccoon attacked and killed her partner, Gemini. Also a Barr Rock. She almost died from shock but I nursed her back to health. She has shown me what I would deem as affection since then in countless ways. I think chickens are smarter then many folks believe. Anyway, I have some special love for her after spending so much time helping her recover and all.

Waving across the state to you. One of our sons works at Microsoft and the other one is a journeyman electrician. He worked in Iraq for over a year to help the troops on base. We are very proud of our sons and it sounds like you are too. I admire good law enforcement officers and military personnel, etc. for their service. My niece's hubby is both and has served in Iraq and will be going to Afghanistan. To be honest I am not happy about that!

Have a peaceful day.
~Dee~

 

[cortner1195]

Yes, I would not be happy with over seas deployment either. I was pretty concerned while CJ was on the southern border in Texas. It is very dangerous down there these days. I am glad he is back up here.

I lost my other Australorp at 5 days of age. Very sad. I raised two barred rocks in 2012. One turned out to be a roo, and had to be re homed. The other was Alice, and she was attacked by a hawk and killed in June of this year. She is the barred rock in my profile pic. I have one barred rock pullet now that was to be her pair. Her name is Betty and she is near point of lay.

3 hens: 2 RIR's, and one SLW
9 pullets: 1 BR, 1SLW, 1 BA, 2 GLW, 2 white Rocks, 2 EE's
3 rescue pullets: 2 BLRW's, and 1 splash wyandottes
1 cockerel: lavendar Ameracauna "Cecil"

 

[DeesHens]

So sorry about your losses. I find it is very disheartening as I do get so attached to each of one of my pets that it is quite a punch in the gut when I lose one. My DH built me quite the fortified aviary for my three chickens. We spent hundreds of dollars to keep them safe from raccoon, eagles and hawks.

The electric wire has been very effective so far. The first few days/nights I heard some squeals out there.

Seems they all keep their distance now. hehe.

Wow! You have quite a diverse group of chickens over there. That must make it very interesting. Love the name "Cecil" for your roo. Very cute! Can you keep a roo now? Or did you rehome your other roo for a different reason? I had a very mean BR roo that had to go because he attacked me constantly. I never wanted a roo in the first place but I was willing to give him a chance as he was a sweet guy as a cockerel. I don't know why he turned out so bad as he was treated with much love and respect. Tried to work with him but he just kept getting worse sad to say.

Agree with you that it is great your son is no longer on the TX border. I really feel for the folks down there. It has gotten crazy! Always a relief to have our family close to home.

~Dee~

 

[cortner1195]

I never really wanted a roo. No desire to breed chicks of my own. So, when I ended up with 6 roosters out of 14 pullets purchased, I was not very happy. We thought we would keep the BR roo, but he got mean as he matured. Same as your story. Then I thought, im not putting up with an animal on the attack, and feeding him. So we found a new home for him. Since then I have read countless posts about roosters saving the hens, or helping bring pullets into the flock. That got us thinking that maybe we should have one. Then I found Cecil on craigslist. So far I am very happy with him. If he stays as he is now, he is still very young. Just learning to crow. I need him to take over the flock, and stop some of the female bickering!

 

[moniq]

I also need to put my chicks with my older pullets/hens. For now I have 3 hens (2 mixes and a bantam wyandotte) and a rooster who are little over a year old and 12 pullets/cockerels (araucanas, sussexes, brahmas and silkies) who are about 4 month old. When it seemed like my silkies may be all cockerels I bought two more silkie chicks.

The two new silkie chicks have been living now almost two months in the chicken tractor which is in the run area of the other chickens. As they have seen each other all days I hope they are all used to each other. The new chicks are now probably 2,5 - 3 month old but as they are silkies then they are much smaller than rest of my flock. They are even much smaller then my older silkies. I hope this means the new ones are pullets

.

What do you think - is it safe to try to put them together? I know usually it is preferred to put new chicks together with older ones whan they are all about the same size but silkies will be anyway smaller than most of my other chickens.

 

[cortner1195]

I think that it is more than just physical size. There is a maturity, and willingness to stick up for themselves, or get away. My younger new chicken is my roo, and he is still a bit of a door mat. Shy, and he just tucks his head, and lets the others pick on him. He is the same size, just not mature enough to know what to do.

Yesterday I stopped to let everyone out to free range. I noticed something funny. One of my EE's has had all but one of her tail feathers plucked out. The flesh of her tail is just raw. I had to spray her whole bum with BlueKote. No new plucking today, but there are lots of different chicken's feathers floating around the pen. I am hoping this is some molt, and some jockeying for place in the flock.

Good luck getting your babies integrated. This has been a tough deal for me.

 

[troy4]

I love my birds too after it is done raining I think I will take pictures of them.R ight now my young roo is taking looks with my big hens I need to take him out of then hen house probably. Just when I thought the hens were trying to kill the little guy we'll not little but anyways they weren't, surprising!!!I gave two of my hens away.i'm having a problem to.Well I have a older roo and pssible two more but those are young when they get older how could I stop them from fighting