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Hi,

I've got three hens, recently started laying Isa's. I've had them since Easter. Yesterday we rescued three one year old, (not officially ex bats but rescues from not cages but squeezed in barns). The hens, all named but now referred to as the Shineys and the Scruffies, are all in together in a large run with large hen house. (Asked advice at time, was told put them in together as will sort out pecking order when ever they meet.I had divided run into two. ) (I do have an emergency enclosure just in case.)

Anyway, they've been doing well, a bit of shielding from food, so have two lots, no real nastiness, more warnings and stand offs. The Scruffies look better today, more alert, more preening, rather than 'rabbit caught in headlights,' one laid an egg!!!!!!! They prefer to stay indoors but sit on pop hole threshold looking outside. (It's high with ramp.)

Just wondered if anyone else has been in this position, how long does it last, what to look out for. I'm not particularly worried about anything in particular and I know I have excellent back up from the wonderful rescue organisation I got them from. Just curious really. (In danger of boring people with adoring chook talk!!)

Thanks

Plum Jam

Hi
It sounds as if the new girls are settling in well. If they've not been used to going outside it's probably a bit scary. I've rehomed two lots of ex-bats and it's always taken them a few days to get used to the idea of "outside". Don't worry, they'll soon pluck up the courage to follow their new friends and you'll see them scratching and pecking in no time.

Zoe

Hi Thomzo,

Thanks for letting me know. It's such a shock to see how these hens arrive, I think it made me more worried about their chances against what I previously thought of as normal hens and I now perceive as large, strong, confident hens. What a difference!!

Plum Jam

I got two new girls last year and added them to the three old girls and it must have taken a good six months before they were finally accepted, during which time one of them died anyway. Now the newbie is just 'one of the girls', but I wouldn't add any more newbies because I was probably more worried than the new hens were, who were probably quite accepting of the fact they were going to be chased away from the food and picked on!

Hi,

It's really daunting isn't it. I know it's natural and they'll settle and they're even numbered but I'd like them to be a lot more free range and have some more in their life time, in possibly three years (another house - life plans etc). Six is about the limit in their run, I know others would have more in there but I want them to have the space.

I know deep down when one warns another off, that if I hadn't taken them in and if noone else had taken them in, then they wouldn't have been some of the lucky ones 'taken to order,' and they'd be cat food by now. Now they have the rest of their lives to scratch about, feel the sun and be hand fed kale from a besotted me.

Plum Jam

We've had all this recently, generally they all settled in really quickly - until we noticed that the two often lurking in the nest box were the same two, and were almost living in there, eating the eggs for nutrients and water! We went down the 'cruel to be kind' route, and kicked them out, and after a day of a few squabbles they're part of the gang now.
We have always used a technique where we keep the water outside during the day - this means that the birds , even the newbys, have to nip outside the door occasionally at least, it's always worked - other than these last two! They were very shabby looking for a day or two, but have bounced back... R

we've introduced new hens a few times, and each time our broody comes back out again, its as though she is a new girl.

there is always a bit of bickering.. I think the trick is to have enough space in the run that the underdogs (underhens) can get away. I think its nicest if you can have more than one newbie, and that they should have come from a group so already know each other, and they can be together.

we got three new girls on Monday. They kept to themselves, and if they got in the way got pecked before they legged it. they did not know where to go to bed so we had to shove them in the hen house, but they had it sorted by the next day.

2 days later..they are being allowed to be nearby without hassle. in my experience gradually they become part of the 'in crowd'