On Labor Day we blended our two flocks of hens. The younger ones and the older ones had watched each other in adjoining coops for about six weeks, and had become accustomed to each other--at a distance. We opened the door between the two coops and let the young ones come into the ladies' coops. All together now ( photo / image / picture from marlingardener's Garden ) My husband and I were standing by with fly swatters (a wave of a fly swatter will break up a hen fight without harming either participant) and spray bottles filled with cold water (a spray in the face will stop aggression, at least in a hen!). Not many men would spend part of Labor Day monitoring hen behaviour (he's a good guy, and I reciprocate by brewing up his bees' syrup). The girls and the ladies have been together now for several days, and are getting along famously. Thank heavens black Australorps are a docile breed! Young and older hens ( photo / image / picture from marlingardener's Garden ) Before you ask, yes, that is a fan above them. When the temperature in the coop gets to 90, I turn on a fan. We also have heat lamps for wintertime. We are saving up our egg money to buy a large screen TV and a Jacuzzi for the hens. Nothing is too good for our ladies!
All the hens appear to like each other. Let me know when the TV and Jacuzzi are installed, I'll come chick-sit for you
So glad the introduction went so well and that all the birds are happily living together now. "We are saving up our egg money to buy a large screen TV and a Jacuzzi for the hens." I can just about understand the jacuzzi but I presume the TV is for you and your OH and not for the hens to watch? :-?
A true community coop. They have probably been clucking secret messages over the wall when you were not watching. Now about the TV and Jacuzzi.......I hope you let the hens use them after you 'test' them. Don't hens get mad when they're wet? Jerry
The large screen TV will be for the ladies, also. There's several movies they've been wanting to see: The Egg and I, Gone With the Wind (they think it's about flying), and Chicken Run. Jerry, "mad as a wet hen" is a truism. They really, really hate to get soaked. A light misting doesn't bother them too much, but it makes them stop whatever they are doing. Toni, I'll take you up on that hen-sitting offer. You do realize you'll have to clean the Jacuzzi after they use it, don't you? Seriously, I am so fond of my little flock, and I was truly worried about how to get them to live together peacefully, that their acceptance of each other has been a great load off my mind.
Sounds and looks like your ladies are very well taken care of. Next time someone calls me "chicken"... I'll just laugh at them and remember this post. :-D
One of my dreams is to someday have a chicken coop and be able to feed them and gather my own eggs. Loved the pictures...and will remember the good tips.
Marlingardener ROTFLOL I love the movies that they want to watch. I'm sure they would also want to watch a couple of chick flicks.
