| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| one_dog_per_acre |
Posted - May 29 2012 : 05:58:07 AM
Patricia Foreman, chicken author, and Chicken Whisperer co-host told me to put a dab of essential oil on all the chickens heads, and they will be too confused to pick on the new chickens.
My husband thought I was crazy when I told him, until he tried putting his girls he hatched himself in with the bigger girls. He was so upset, that he pulled the pullets out. The next day, we tried the essential oil, and it was amazing. The chicken craziness was not even 10% of what it had been.
“It always looks darkest just before it gets totally black.”-Charlie Brown |
| 9 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| crittergranny |
Posted - May 29 2012 : 12:18:08 PM
My chickens free range during the day and are locked up at night in their pens. I find that letting chickens free range makes pecking on each other and egg picking pretty much not existent except in certain breeds like game roosters. But then I don't keep many game chickens because they will go roost in the trees instead of go in the pen at night and eventually will teach the others to do it too. Then the owls and bobcats have a feast.
Laura
Horse poor in the boonies.
www.nmbarrelhorses.com |
| one_dog_per_acre |
Posted - May 29 2012 : 10:28:33 AM
Unfortunately for us, the grow out pen is across the property, so we wanted to do what we could to avoid bloody chickens.
“It always looks darkest just before it gets totally black.”-Charlie Brown |
| oldbittyhen |
Posted - May 29 2012 : 09:11:50 AM
I have always done this at night also (my grandpas words of wisdom), and had just about no picking/peckin or fighting
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
| sissarge |
Posted - May 29 2012 : 08:01:02 AM
I have not tried the oil, but for years, just move them when its good and dark and they wake up together, have had very little picking on. I have tried the smaller cage into the larger pen for a few days, and this seems to work, but I still would move them out of the cage in the night time. I learned this about 40 years ago from my FIL. Remember some picking on is necessary for the new ones to learn who is the boss, and their status in the chicken yard. Pecking order is fun to watch and at times it can seem a little rough. Only one time have I had to remove a hen because it seemed they picked on her excessively and then I learned she seemed sick. I separated her and treated her for about 2 weeks and then she seemed better then moved her back in one night and watched the next day, when I opened the door, (I free range, but pen at night) she came right out with the rest and they acted like she was one of them. Good luck! Farmgirl #946 Linda |
| Megan |
Posted - May 29 2012 : 07:31:09 AM
to integrate new birds into a flock we move both sets of bird to a new pen at the same time or place the larger numbered pen in with the smaller numbered pen. This disorientate the bird a little and makes a smoother transition. also resolves alot of the territorial problems. this has worked for us on all kinds of birds ( pheasants guineas quail chickens)
www.rockriverexoticsandkennel.net |
| crittergranny |
Posted - May 29 2012 : 06:45:32 AM
I have always integrated my chickens by putting the new ones in a small cage for a few days inside the henhouse they will be living in. I would not say that the oil won't help but chickens are pretty much sight and color oriented.
Laura
Horse poor in the boonies.
www.nmbarrelhorses.com |
| one_dog_per_acre |
Posted - May 29 2012 : 06:10:28 AM
I forgot to mention that we didn't put oil on the pullets going into the now hen house because I didn't want them to be confused. Pat Foreman is on a book tour right now. I think I'll get to meet her this weekend. I believe she said any EO.
“It always looks darkest just before it gets totally black.”-Charlie Brown |
| one_dog_per_acre |
Posted - May 29 2012 : 06:06:16 AM
I used lavender, because I had more lavender than orange.
“It always looks darkest just before it gets totally black.”-Charlie Brown |
| retasos2 |
Posted - May 29 2012 : 06:04:04 AM
what kind of essential oil?
I have three pullets that need to be integrated and I'm not looking forward to it.
Pilar
Farmgirl Sister #2498
Little Hen House on the Island
" A woman is like a tea bag. You never know how strong she is, until she gets in hot water" Eleanore Roosevelt |
