ooops i've done it again.....more chickens...

moanymoany

We've just decided to keep chickens. Last weekend we built a chicken house from completely re-cycled materials. The run still needs the netting put on it and it will go on this weekend.

The pullets will arrive at the end of the month 3 of them. We've done a lot of research on keeping and housing them, but I bet there will be stuff only experience will teach.

They have already been named by hubby.

Baby, Posh and Scary - The Lice Girls lol :rotfl:

moanymoany

7_week_wonder wrote: »

Help - I need some advice before I get one of my hens re-homed.

The background is that she is about 2 years old and was the bottom of the pecking order until her 2 companions died. So we got 2 new youngsters and introduced them. For the first couple of days she was very pee'd off and would run up and down crowing, squawking, clucking and making a real din. After a week or so she calmed down, and seemed to have established herself at the top of the pecking order and normality was resumed.

But now it is about 2 months later and all 3 hens are laying and she is being a right nuisance. She is generally quite noisey, but if she finds someone else is in the nest box (which is big enough to take three of them) she screams the place down squawking and clucking for up to 45 minutes. It drives me nuts, so I dread to think what it's doing to the neighbours (especially when it starts at around 8 in the morning). Can anyone think of a way to get her to calm down? If not I think I will have to give her to some people I know who live in the back end of beyond where the noise will not bother them.

All suggestions gratefully received,
Thanks
7WW

Make her a little enclosed chicken house of her own. It need only be a box and netting run, it doesn't have to cost much.

http://www.motherearthliving.com/issues/motherearthliving/livestock/easy-backyard-chicken-coops_596-1.html?show_comments=1#read

this is a link I got from another moneytipper. It's a great site.

the_optimist

moanymoany wrote: »

The pullets will arrive at the end of the month 3 of them. We've done a lot of research on keeping and housing them, but I bet there will be stuff only experience will teach.

Snap, same here. I'm expecting my 3 around next weekend, and I've read everything there is to know but am quite scared (well, sort of)

They have already been named by hubby.

Baby, Posh and Scary - The Lice Girls lol :rotfl:

Ours have been named by DD's boyfriend: Snap, Crackle and Pop.........we'll see!

KittyBoo_2

I have been offerred two more chickens but I'm a bit worried that they might not settle with the other two.
Do I need to keep them apart for a while?
The guy I am getting them off says just put em in together and they'll sort themselves out.
Have you had this situation and what did you do?
Thanks

BillScarab

I believe the best approach is to keep them seperate but in sight of each other for a few days so they get used to each other. This requires two coops and runs though so is not easy to achieve. The other option is to put the new ones in the coop at night so the they wake up with the old ones. Apparently they settle quicker that way.

You will have to expect some pecking though as they settle into a new pecking order.

A frined had one of her two chickens die so she bouhgt another to replace it and there was lots fo fighting before they settled down.

Mojisola

Arrange to have the new birds at a time when you can be around so that you can intervene if bullying happens.

One of the ways we have used is this - have your new birds together (free in the garden or in a run) and introduce your older girls one at a time, starting with the least bossy. Let them spend a bit of time together before introducing the other one. Put them all away in the house in the evening and be up early the next morning to make sure they are getting on.

mum_of_4

yep, keep them insight but seperated. This should be for at least a week. Then let them free range together and then put in the coup together.

If you only have the one coup put them to bed when it's dark, you may to get up early to seperate them. You could spray them all with vinegar so that they all smell the same which helps them to believe that they were always a flock of four as they can't smell anything new.

As you only have two hens you might find they are ok as the each have a buddy.

KittyBoo_2

Thanks for your replies.
I've never heard of the vinegar idea.
I love this forum - such a mine of information and ideas.

ziggyman99

I might try this. I've lost a chicken to a fox today. I only had 2. :mad:
How are chickens on their own? Do they need company?

KittyBoo_2

ziggyman99 wrote: »

I might try this. I've lost a chicken to a fox today. I only had 2. :mad:
How are chickens on their own? Do they need company?

So sorry to hear about your chook.
I know what that's like cos the neighbours terriers tunnelled into my garden and killed my 2 lovely chooks last year.
I would get another one or two because they do get lonely I'm sure.
My two go everywhere together and that was why I thought it best to introduce another couple just in case something happened to one of them.