It’s the third full day with the new girls and we decided the time was right to start integrating them.
I had a breakfast delivery this morning but no lunch delivery so would have the rest of the day to watch them whereas tomorrow we have visitors in the morning to discus their wedding followed by a lunch delivery.
I started by closing the new girls in to the new end of the run while I moved the little coop and feeding station back to the patio area. I then lifted up and tied back the wire at the patio corner to form an escape route. I then opened both gates and lifted up and tied back the wire at the far end of the run to form another escape route.
The new girls at the end of the run next to the newly opened escape route
Peaches and Barley spot them
Peaches and Barley become agitated
Barley has a go at Speckles
It all happened so quickly that I only got this one blurred shot but it shows the level of aggression. I intervened with the water spray.
Luckily Topaz and Honey were in the nest box together so this meant two less girls to worry about at the moment.
These two are out of the equation at the moment
Peaches had laid her egg and Topaz had sat on it until I removed it. Honey then laid her egg and Topaz sat on that until I removed it, so business as usual with Topaz.
Butterscotch found the escape route then found the ladder
I didn’t get closer as I didn’t want to scare her. It was good that the new girls found the escape routes and other perches.
What happened next really surprised me. Butterscotch had a real go at Toffee. She had her by the neck feathers and this time I used the water spray on Butterscotch. Toffee looked quite wobbly and dazed. Perhaps Butterscotch isn’t going to be bottom girl after all. Toffee and Emerald looked really nervous around Butterscotch after that.
Topaz then came out of the coop and had a go at Speckles which I again broke up with the water spray.
I decided it was time to move the new girls up to the patio area so that they know where the food and water is.
The new girls check out the patio area
They soon recognised their water and pellet dish. They both went to the dishes that were familiar to them and ignored the ones on the other side. I always have two water dishes and will keep two pellet dishes too. The small pellet dish is behind the large water dish out of sight in this photo.
Next they checked out the grit
My water spray is beside the grit so that I could grab it if I needed it.
Then they checked out the little coops
At this stage Honey came out of the little coop and I got another surprise. Honey took no notice of butterscotch at all.
Butterscotch and Honey side by side
These two behaved as if they had always been together. I guided Butterscotch into the shed just so that she would know it is there.
She was only in there a minute but I hope it will help at bedtime which is the next hurdle. The rest of the afternoon passed peacefully. Butterscotch seemed at ease with the flock but Speckles seemed more nervous and kept out of the other girls way. Butterscotch and Speckles stayed close together and they discovered the wooden table as another place to get out of the way.
The round table is still favourite though.
Safety on the table
I think, as the first day together, this went really well as they seemed to get the skirmishes out of their system early on and then seemed fairly settled together.
It is now just a matter of showing the new girls where to go at bedtime. I wonder if they will follow the other girls in. I hope it doesn’t all kick off in the shed. I will be glad to get their first night together out of the way but so far so good.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Well done ! You did well.
It sounds that it will be fine .
Good luck with the wedding party x
Iv’e been surprised that Butterscotch seems to have fitted in easily and it’s Speckles that I am more worried about. She has spent the last few hours on the round table. I hope they all go in together tonight and will report back with that tomorrow.
The wedding couple are coming to see the vintage crockery and finalise what they want. I am actually quite looking forward to showing them our stuff.
Going by past experience ( and I’m no expert )once you have them. All in together for the night speckle will be better.
I agree, getting them all to bed together is always the best thing. I just saw Barley have a go at Butterscotch. It’s so often the bottom girls that are the worse. The main flock should all be in soon and then the new girls can get some peace. If they don’t go in I will put them in at dusk.
Awe, congrats. I really hate that whole flock integration thing. It’s probably harder on us than it is on them.
I’m seriously considering adding hens this fall. Still on the fence. Flock integration is my main hang up. But we’ll see. I’d love to get back up to 6-7 hens.
I hate it too but I think you are right it is worse for us. They just have to sort it out and get the pecking order sorted. As long as there is no blood drawn I am okay with it. It looks brutal but it’s a lot of showing off rather than anything damaging.
I like the picture of Barley and Speckles flapping their wings, and then Butterscotch just watching. Things should work out though pretty soon. Maybe Butterscotch is Honey’s new Amber (though you can’t replace chickens) f they’re getting along so well. 🙂
I too noticed that in that photo Butterscotch was just watching casually in the background. I also felt surprised that as you say it seems Honey has found a friend rather than having to throw her weight around. You just never know how things will go. Butterscotch has shown much more character today.
All will sort itself out – so far, so good. Most people say how gentle silkies are and I have to say that is my experience with them on a bird/human level; however, the couple I have had have often been very feisty with other hens, and Butterscotch is half silkie, so may well have some latent aggression! I often think back to how aggressie my Australorps were towards my Welsummers in the early days, but now you’d think they (the 3 of the 10 still alive) had been together from chicks. Hope the new gorls go into the shed of their own volition; look forward to tomorrow’s report.
All the original flock are in and the new girls are on the perch they have roosted on each night so far. I am going to put them in the shed at dusk with a torch to help them sort themselves out. I will be out early to check everything is okay. Maybe tomorrow I will have to herd them in. It’s a work in progress and I will report back tomorrow.