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Barnyard Buddies:  chicken trouble  |
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FieldsofThyme
Farmgirl Guide & Schoolmarm / Chapter Leader
4928 Posts
USA
4928 Posts |
 Posted - May 06 2011 : 04:40:27 AM
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I have a question for those who raise layers.
We have had reds for almost 3 years, and one died this spring. We bought 6 more (5 barred rocks straight run, and 1 tetratint). They have been outside in a separate pen until they were big enough to put with the hens. From what I see, there is only 1 rooster in the newbies. We also have one rooster.
Here's the thing. At night we put them in a closed coop to protect them. During the day they don't bother each other, and stay in their 2 groups. As soon as we put them together, the rooster attacks the newbies, and the reds follow. They almost killed one barred rock yesterday.
We scrambled to set up another coop (reused a large dog kennel) and covered the sides with chicken wire, covered the top too.
Will there be a day when I can put them all together or are we going to have to have 2 coops inside the barn?
We let the rooster out, while we set up the second coop, and the hens didn't bother the newbies too much. We talked about simply leaving rooster outside free, but did not. A raccoon can kill him too.
We had raccoon problems last year, and will most likely buy traps this spring.
Any advice and this?
Farmgirl #800
http://pioneerwomanatheart.blogspot.com/
http://scrapreusedandrecycledartprojects.blogspot.com/
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - May 06 2011 : 06:50:56 AM
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howdy kristina, it is hard to combine flocks for sure. it can be done with time. if they are out in yard together it may get better. if there is more than one rooster and from separate flocks thats a problem. the girls should work things out. are they all grown chickens? pecking order is only achieved for them through challenging each other. so there will be feathers flying. usually it does work out. the girls are just saying this is our house. you may have a few ones who get hurt in the start. fighting is one of the things they do. is the area where they go at night large enough for them to move around away from each other? if so i think i would put them in and let them work it out. now i am only one opinion. it is hard to add to a flock but i just did it. i have 65 red stars and i added 15 rhode island reds. yes they had fights and now pecking order is established. so quiet in there now. i have 4 roosters in there. i had 3 who grew up together. then my wellsummer jumped in. he established himself and now no one cares. let us know how it goes. hope this helps you a little. happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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FieldsofThyme
Farmgirl Guide & Schoolmarm / Chapter Leader
4928 Posts
USA
4928 Posts |
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oldbittyhen
True Blue Farmgirl
1511 Posts
tina
quartz hill
ca
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - May 06 2011 : 4:35:18 PM
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| try putting them together after dark with no light in the coop, as quiet as possible, as not to scare everyone, but, you may have to wait a few days till they calm down...combining flocks is not always easy, especialy when there is a older flock and rooster who have been there ... |
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amomfly
True Blue Farmgirl
658 Posts
Angie
LaGrange
IN
USA
658 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2011 : 5:06:11 PM
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I have combined mine too. But it is always a big deal and takes time. I would try to do it at dark too. I have two roosters together, they do good. One is a Turken and one is a Brahama.
Good Luck
Come visit my blog
http://angieruralliving.blogspot.com/
God Bless
Angie-amomfly
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grace gerber
True Blue Farmgirl
2804 Posts
grace
larkspur
colorado
USA
2804 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2011 : 07:54:48 AM
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Out of all the animals I have raised over the years I find chickens are the hardest to combine. Not sure why when I can put 5 foot horn span billies together and get less troubles then a handfull of little hens. I agree doing it in the dark and with little sounds help but we sometimes have to close our eyes and ears to the figthing even if our first response is to rescue and then punish those who start it but like siblings we sometimes have to get that pecking order done and over. Good luck and hope it will settle down soon.
Grace Gerber
Larkspur Funny Farm and Fiber Art Studio
Where the spirits are high and the fiber is deep
http://www.larkspurfunnyfarm.etsy.com
http://larkspurfunnyfarm.blogspot.com
http://larkspurfunnyfarm.artfire.com
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - May 10 2011 : 03:48:26 AM
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Try just separaing the newer rooster at night and leaving the girls alone...see how this works.
Intros will work, but as stated above, it just takes time.
They don't call it a "pecking order" for nothing! |
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Barnyard Buddies: chicken trouble |
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chicken trouble
