AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

Hi there, TheGirls! I raised 3 baby chicks and once they became pullets I then had to introduce them to the flock. I bought an old guinea pig cage that I could move around the pen and I kept the chicks in there, so the main flock could see them and get used to them. When I came home from work, I would let them move around the pen with the hens, with my watchful eye. Anytime there was an aggressive movement towards them I would point to the offending hen with a harsh noise. A bit like the dog Whisperer Caesar Milan. The hen would then stop in her tracks and look at me in surprise. It doesn't just work with dogs but it works with my hens too! Lol I did this for over a week, until I felt comfortable to let them roam by themselves with the hens. I also separated a section in the pen that only they could get through if they needed somewhere to escape. They soon got along and began to free-range together, especially when I let them out in the late afternoon. They have since worked things out. The trick is to slowly introduce them! Hope this helps!! Cheers FNQCHICK!

Update on new chook......I've done something stupid : (

Well as of yesterday morning i was still waiting for a friend to bring me a new chook to join my current hen Olivia. Basically I was sick of waiting so decided to go to the local markets to get one for myself.

Long story short....I purchased a pretty cross breed who is not laying yet but looked healthy and sprightly until not even 24 hours later she is sick with runny nose, blood in her poo's (i think) and bubbles coming out of one her eyes(unless its coming out of her nose and settled near her eyes?)

She is eating and drinking alot and in general she doesn't look too sick. Her eyes are quite clear, feathers don't seem to be fluffed up but she has been sleeping a little.

I thought it might be coccidiosis so i rushed down to pet barn as its the only store open and purchased some Sulphadim to put in her water?? Is this ok to do? It also says to put 4-6 drops in her beak which i haven't done as she's hard to catch at the moment.

Now i'm thinking it could be a cold??

She was ok yesterday. She did some caramel coloured poo's that stunk but also some normal poo's as well. Overnight she did some poo's with what looked like blood in it. She seems very hungry and is eating lots also drinking too. Other then that she seems ok.

I know i shouldn't have purchased her from a not so clean seller but this chook looked at me with those" pleeeaaasssee take me home" eyes and I couldn't resist! I'm seriously thinking of calling the RSPCA as the condition of the other chooks, ducks and goats were terrible. Alarm bells did ring but stupid me ignored them!
Our local vet should be open now, however they don't seem to know too much about chookies but I will do my best to try and help this little hen.

On the up side, Olivia has fluffed her feathers up and did the staring thing with this new hen but hasn't fought with like she did with the other hen I had to give back and she seems to be warming to her. However, I have quarantined this new hen so Olivia can't get to her for now!

Any help appreciated.

thanks
The Girls

Sounds as though she has all the symptoms of a respiratory problem, take her away from your other hen, put her into a warm box/enclosure free from draughts you will need to go and get a poultry antibiotic for her either from a pet shop or produce (most stock them) and follow the dosage on the side.

It is quite treatable if caught quickly which you seem to have done. The sulpha medication won't hurt her while you get the other medication. Chances are the poor girl was run down or overcrowded previously and it has just presented itself when you moved her.

Thanks for your help Sebducks!

Will keep her warm inside. Unfortunately the vet was closed when i got there and of course being a long weekend its going to be hard to get anything until Tuesday. The pet stores here don't really have much in the way of poultry products and are also closed today.

I will keep doing what im doing with water and food and hopefully she will be ok until I get the antibiotics.

thanks
The Girls

Don't beat yourself up about it, you just wanted a friend for your lonely hen, you weren't to know any of this could happen. Stress moving from one house to another can bring on a respiratory problem such as this one you are seeing.

Keep using your sulfa med until you can get yoruself some antibiotics, do you know anyone in your area who may have chooks and some on hand?
For future reference you can order online as well for most things poultry.

Oxymav is a common poultry antibiotic, in powder form mixed with water for delivery.

http://planetpoultry.com.au/37-antibiotics

She's doing ok, hasn't got any worse which is good.

Don't really know anyone with chooki antibiotics but will keep up with the sulfa. I also gave her some PolyAid Plus with her food which she gobbled down!!

Fingers crossed!

Thanks again for your help
The Girls

Should my girls have accepted the 2 new girls after 2 week now they still pick on them and they won't let them eat when they are. I am feeding them in 2 different places so I know they are getting food but the scraps only in one place and they don't get any until the older girls have finished

There's no magic acceptance time frame unfortunately, what you are seeing is pretty normal pecking order.

Ok so they may never accept them I hope they do but thanks for the advice its good to know what may be

There are many and varied points of view on the acceptance of new hens by old established hens. There will always be a pecking order and it must be established or re-established with every introduction. One thing that some people do is take out the existing hens, put in the new ones then after a couple of days put back the old ones. Personally, unless there is alot of bloodshed, leave them alone any interferance usually results in them having to go at it all over again.