Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi,
I recently got 3 hens who are all settled into my hen house and run and are getting the hang of roaming the garden when I'm at home, or more getting the hang of being persuaded back into the run!
I have seen a lavender perkin that I would really like. How would I go abotu introducing her to the others? I asume I can't just put her in the pen and let them get on with it?
Also is there any reason not to give the hens some dried meal worms? Like the ones you buy for wild birds, they are also at the bird seed section of the pet shop, but not near the hen food, I think they would like them!
Thanks, Anna

Number one, bantams and full-sized chickens don't always get on - the bigger ones may bully the bantams, thinking they are runts. That said, I had a Speckledy hen and a Wyandotte bantam for about 18 months and they were the best of friends. Pekins are quite feisty for their size, so might be OK with placid large birds if introduced carefully.

Number two, never, EVER, introduce a single bird to an established flock - it will be bullied mercilessly. You need to introduce at least two, and keep the two groups separated but within sight of one another at first. Even so, be prepared for some pecking and bullying when they do get together, though they should settle down eventually.

On the bright side, dried mealworms are fine for your hens in moderation. Not too many, though, as they are high in fat. The girls will love them once they realise they're edible!

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Small Plot? No Problem! - my blog about growing organic veg

I was offered a single hen by someone who only had one left and thought it was probably lonely. I refused because I was worried my 6 would bully it. However someone I know who keeps various hens and table birds together says it's easy. Just wait till all chickens asleep and place newbie in coop. Spray the whole lot with weak solution of vinegar and in the morning they all get up and smell the same so newbie is accepted. I stress I haven't tried this myself.

OK,
Thanks for all the advice. Might wait until I have built an extension to their run and see if I can fit 2 in, don't want anyone being bullied too much! We have one hen (lavender Araucana) who is definately in charge and pecks the others if they come over to us (for food) or if they're in the way, but not enough to cause injury!

Will give the meal worms a go, may save them as a treat for going back into the run when I ask! Have to have something to bribe them with!

Mine like to sleep outside on branches, the run is totally enclosed and fox proof so was wondering if there was any other reason for them to be put away? They go inside to lay and if it's really raining, so they still kow what the hen house is for, they just seem to prefer the outside branches! I think this may be because they came from a totally free range place, where they were pretty much left to do as they wished with about 40 other hens!

Last question! What is the best thing to worm them with and how often should I be doing it, given they are in a static run (with wood chip floor changed regularly) and have access to the garden averagely every 2 days. Heard it is more prevelent in hns tha have static runs.

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't - it seems to depend on the individuals involved. Having seen one of my pekins on the receiving end of some fairly aggressive bullying, I wouldn't recommend it to the faint-hearted!

As long as it's fox-proof and they do go inside when it rains, they should be OK. The UK winter seldom gets far enough below freezing for cold alone to be a problem - chickens have a nice built-in duvet! Their feathers are not waterproof though, unlike ducks, and they could catch a chill if they roost outdoors when it's both cold and wet. I would just be sure to get them inside on winter nights, so that they don't get caught out by a sudden shower.

The only approved wormer for chickens is called Flubenvet. You can buy it online for about £10-12 a tub, which will last you forever unless you're a chicken farmer! I have a recently-bought tub - PM me your address and I'll send you a teaspoonful, which should do you for a year or two. They should be wormed three or four times a year, and each course takes five days.

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Small Plot? No Problem! - my blog about growing organic veg

I'd say it's kinder for the pekin in the long run to be introduced to some mates than to be by herself indefinitely.I would try introducing her at night - you could try the vinegar spray but there's no strong evidence that suggests it makes a real difference. Hens don't have much of a sense of smell. I've never used it and still had good results with introductions.

If you have the room, the best thing to do would be to house her separately for a week or two where she is secure and has no contact with the other hens, but they can still see each other. Then when you introduce them properly at the end of the period, it's not such a big shock to either of them. However, if you don't have the room, don't despair, try putting her in at night and open up the coop in good time in the morning (so she can't get pinned into a corner of the coop and beaten up in the morning). Keep an eye on how they are doing and don't be overly worried about the odd peck and scratch. If they get really vicious you may have to separate them, but most of the time things run fairly smoothly. And good luck!

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Dwell simply ~ love richly

Thanks everyone! Some very helpful tips and advice! Thanks for the offer Eyren of the Flubenvet, I'll check with the woman I bought them from and hopefully she'll have a spoonfull for me!
ThinkI'll see how I get on with the 3 I have at the moment and then maybe in a couple of months think about getting another 1 or 2! 3 is a nice number, especially as we live in a city!
Thanks you for the advice Birdie Wife, sounds like it can be done successfully! Fortunately the Pekin is with another one at the moment, this was another consideration of mine, taking just the one and then leaving one on it's own! I just really liked the look of them, but would probably be better to get another hen from the original lady, as they would be a similar size!
They aer so lovely looking though! It's good job my garden isn't the biggest as I think I'd end up with hundreds! Total convert already!