Getting to know each other

Arrived home from work today before dark, and so decided to let the chooks out for a quick run. As it was only about 1h to dusk, I let them all roam together and sneaked indoors to spy on them without my presence interfering with their behaviour.

They seemed OK. The older hens made a bee-line for the ex-batt crumb. The ex-batts seemed a little scared of them. I'd just topped it up and they wanted to eat it, but wouldn't risk it. They pottered around as a little threesome. Amber and Patsy ate their food and Nutmeg approached them in a determined way from time to time and they ran quickly away from her.

It looked like the three newbies knew their place. I suspect that the others will peck at them, but I think that having spent 4 weeks separated only by a fence has allowed them to become accustomed to each other. I hope this is the case as I'd like to be able to move the green eglu into the run in March as I'm going to be away alot and they won't be able to roam the orchard during the day as they are used to. I think they'd be better off roaming the walk-in run. I plan to hang feeding and drinking things and treats from the beams on the new roof, and make it all nice for them. Need to put in some perching bars, but one thing at a time ;)

4 weeks on - improving

We're approaching the 4 week mark. In Week 3 I allowed all the chickens out, separated by the mesh fence. Dave had apparently seen them fighting through the fence, but I spied on them from windows and saw nothing so I figured it was safe. Certainly they've shown no signs of damage or stress.

Went out one morning to find Nutmeg in with the newbies. They seemed to be getting on OK so I allowed all 6 to roam together while I stood and watched. However this was not a good idea. Amber and Patsy love the ex-batt crumb and the three newbies (now called Butterly, Margot and Flora) huddled down the eglu end, too nervous to try to get past Amber and Patsy.

So I moved the grub bowl to the outside of the eglu. This was fine for a bit, then the two newbies and Patsy and Amber started fighting big time, running toward each other like little rugby players. Quick action was required and I lifted Amber and Patsy out of the ex-batt enclosure, quickly pegged the entrance shut and they've remained separated ever since.

New quills are clearly present, but I'm going to wait until the ex-batts are well feathered, with no skin showing, before I allow the two mini-flocks to mix. I really want them to be good and strong to cope with the establishment of the pecking order.

Three Weeks on

An all our ex-batts seem to be thriving. They absolutely love the ex-batt crumb, as do our original 3 hens. When I bring out the big purple bucket to top up their feeders (which I have to do each day) they try to climb in. In once made the mistake of putting it on the other side of the fence, and Amber, Nutmeg and Patsy ate it. You can see Nutmeg, Patsy and Amber in this photo, looking longingly at the feed bucket from the other side of the fence.

We've more or less settled upon names. Barebum is to become Butterly, of if I find the name too difficult, Betty. The leg-friendly hen is Margot and the most feathered is Flora.

They've started growing feathers, both little wispy fluffy feathers in their nether regions (mostly applicable to Butterly), on the front of their necks (again, mostly Butterly although the other two are a little bare there as well) and on their backs and wings. This pic shows the quills poking throug the skin, and the ginger feather bits starting to sprout out of the ends, like little dusters.
I'm very impressed with Butterly. Despite being the most bare of the hens, both from the waist down and all down her neck, back, wings - well everywhere pretty much, she has exterted her dominance and has been top chicken since they arrived.

In a week or so I shall introduce them to their fellow hens, so it will be interesting (and probably a bit disturbing) to see how that pans out in terms of the hen hierarchy. This pic shows Butterly's neck, again with little quills growing out.
At the moment, they have an area of the main free-ranging part of the orchard cordoned off for their use. They can interact with the other hens at the fence, pecking through the mesh, if they wish, but they can also retreat and get away if things get too much. I want them to be strong and reasonably feathered before I start introducing them without a barrier between them.