Hey.... Lets keep Chickens..!

lauren_1

Can anyone suggest a dual purpose chicken breed?

Thank you!

Gigervamp

lauren_1 wrote: »

Can anyone suggest a dual purpose chicken breed?

Thank you!

I believe the light sussex were bred to be a dual purpose bird. Also, check out the poultry section on the downsizer forum. I think there was recently a thread on there about dual purpose breeds.

miss_t_2

Am hoping someone here can give me some advice as I'm at my wits end now, I don't know what to do and am really upset. I had two chickens (that I thought were black rocks but not so sure now), and have had them for 14 months. However 1 become really poorly, vet thinks there was something wrong from the start and she passed away on Monday which left me with 1 (Audrey). Audrey was really lost and confused for the whole of Monday and knowing that it would be cruel to leave her on her own, or rehome her, we decided to get another chicken (an actual black rock). So yesterday we got another one, and Audrey didn't seem to mind her, although there was some pecking which I did expect and they were fine in each other's company or so it seemed...

However, today Audrey has been full blown fighting with my new chook, (who has now taken to hiding whenever Audrey is in sight), I know they are establishing a pecking order, but is this normal? New chook is POL but is slightly bigger than Audrey). I thought I was doing the right thing by finding her a friend but it's all gone wrong and I am on the verge of crying as I feel so guilty that my new chook is scared. I didn't think they'd be happy families from the start but I'm not sure how long this will go on for.

Any advice would be most appreciated!

Just a quick addition - New chook is trying to escape loads now, her wings have not been clipped yet and won't be till I take her to the vet tomorrow. We have also just noticed a tiny cut on her comb, not sure if this is an old injury or a new one. I'm so upset, I feel like I've made such a huge mistake getting her and now she seems so unhappy.

rsj

Miss_t , Im def not an expert in chickens, no where near, but I did read somewhere about introducing new chickens slowly, having them in a cage next to the other birds for a while to let them get used to one and other and something about putting vaseline on their comb to stop the other bird getting a grip if/when they do sort out the pecking order. Maybe go back to basics and re introduce them slower?
Poor little chickens, hope it gets sorted out soon.

Muppet81

I know it is really disstressing and horrific to watch them sorting out the pecking order but sadly it has to happen.
I am a volunteer with the BHWT so we deal with enquiries such as yours all the time.
It can take up to 2 weeks for them to settle. The instinct is to pick up the one being bullied and comfort it but dont, pick up the bully for a few minutes and tell it to behave itself.
We do as a rule suggest keeping them seperated by a fence for a few days to a couple of weeks so they can see each other but get used to each other slowly. This will of course mean a temporary house for the new girl. When they go to their respective houses at night and go drowsy, you can then lift the new girl out and pop her in with your exisisting hen and remove her again early the next morning and pop her back in her temp quarters. Helps them get used to each other and smell the same I suppose.

If you really can't seperate them then there are ideas such as putting vaseline on the comb and wattles of the new girl to make her difficult to grab. If there is blood drawn, this acts as a magnet for further attacks so get a "purple spray" from your vet or pet store/ horse supplies store and spray the injured area with it. Works wonders.
Hang up distractions for the birds, whole cabbages or corn on the cobs, just above head height (this will take focus away from the 'low ranking hen' in the flock
Put several sources of food and water in the coop to ensure all the girls can eat and drink
There are also bumper bits which you fit to stop the offender being able to do serious damage but I am not convinced about them and would be unsure about fitting one. The Omlet site forum has lots of info on these. I suspect though that by the time you had obtained one, they will be happily strolling round together.

If you want further info/support I would suggest www.omlet.co.uk and go on the forum or look at www.bhwt.org and look at their info on integrating. I will see if I can find the direct link to this and post it later.

Believe it or not, in 3 weeks time they will be great buddies.

Muppet81

I am not sure how to post a link but see if this works

http://www.bhwt.org.uk/cms/merging-and-establishing-a-new-flock/

http://www.bhwt.org.uk/cms/caring-for-hens/

This relates to ex battery hens and larger numbers but the principles are the same. Really hope it helps. Please let me know how you go on. They are lucky girls to have someone who cares so much about them.

miss_t_2

Thank you all for your replies, I was given completely different advice about intergration from the people I got Gertrude from (my new chook- she needed a name for the vet visit today) :huh:, I will however hang up some corn etc to see if that distracts Audrey. I'm glad I didn't get two new chickens like the woman suggested as I think I'd have no hair left from the stress of it as no doubt it would have been Audrey who would have been picked on then.

I put Vaseline on her comb last night and have put in lots of extra feeders as well as water containers, however I need to go buy some plastic ones so I can start mixing in Cider Vinegar.

At the moment, they seem okay (keeping fingers crossed) but I know it can kick off at any moment. I have hardly slept through worry, just in case Audrey killed Gertrude in her sleep or something... I know that sounds stupid doesn't it! Ever since Matilda became poorly, all I have done is worry, and if I am honest, cried a lot, first that she was going to die, then that she died, then that I had to get another chicken, what if Matilda thought I was trying to replace her? Got another chicken so I cried then that she wasn't Matilda..... it has been a non stop thing for me. Yep have decided that I have officially gone mad!!!!

WEEZE210_2

Should I have more than one nest area for 4 chickens? What happens if there is only one nest box and they all want to lay? We had our second egg this morning, Florences' first! They all took thenselves off to bed again last night, it still amazes me, and when hubby let them out this morning, Florence was sitting in the nest box. I went to look a bit later and she'd laid an egg!

Weeze x

Gigervamp

miss_t, sorry to hear about your girls. When we recently introduced 2 new girls, we had another coop (with run) for them and kept them in that for a few days. This meant that our other girls could get used to them without the new girls being attacked. After a few days, we let them out into the garden with the others, but they still slept in their own coop. There is a bit of bullying going on, especially by the hen that was originally at the bottom of the pecking order, but it's not too bad and as we got 2 girls, they stick together.

Last night we moved them into the main coop after they'd all gone to bed. Sat there for a while listening to see if there was going to be any trouble, but after a bit of shuffling around and a few little clucks it all went quiet and this morning they all seem to be happy enough.

We'll be getting a couple of silkies tonight or tomorrow, so it will all start again!

They do suggest keeping a minimum of 3 hens in case one dies as then you don't have one left alone. And after seeing how my new girls stick together, I'll always get at least 2 when getting new hens.

I'm sure your girls will sort themselves out in time. (((hugs)))

Muppet81

Miss T - Actually getting 2 chickens was good advice. Audrey may have been a little bit intimidated by 2 new chooks on the block and behaved a bit better. We always advise people to get new chooks in a greater number that those they already have if possible. Superiority in numbers.

Audrey is unlikely to kill Gertrude in her sleep as they tend to be better behaved when drowsy (hence the suggestion to keep seperate in the day but put them together at night) of course once it gets light, mayhem can ensue and you need to be up early to take Gertrude back out to her own safe domain.

Gigervamp sounds to have had good results with this way of integrating.

Pleased to hear that things are a bit quieter at the moment. Did you watch the Jimmy Doherty programme the other week The Secret Life Of The Chicken? It cast quite a bit of light on why they behave as they do.

Keep us posted please.

Wheezy - we suggest 2 hens per nest box. Could you fit an extra box in? Just any old box will do so long as it has not sharp edges/nails and they can get in and out with ease and enjoy a bit of privacy.