Welcoming new ex-batts...to the ASBO mob

[Hashette]

After my recently deleted angst (muchly appreciated, thanks a million to SarzWix) we're getting three new ex batt girls on Monday.

Now I remember what it was like last October when we had four pathetic little creatures who sat in the run, cowering and terrified of their own shadow for the first few days. We carefully nurtured them, and slowly but surely they found their feet, realised that there is more to life than layers' mash, explored the world, demanded to be let out of the fox-proof run, and have been destroying the garden ever since whilst me and hubby run around to do their bidding. All's been right with the world since, and we know our place in the pecking order

Soooo..... to introduce our new girls, I know we need to let them see each other, but not get to each other in case of pecking. No problem. But I can't shut the existing ASBO mob in the run and stop them free-ranging or there will be a riot, but on the other hand I need the new girls and the existing batch both have access to the nest box, so that the new girls get the hang of where to lay.

We only have one coop, and are skint so no chance of buying even the smallest separate run and coop by Monday. Any ideas? I was planning to separate off half the run with chicken wire, but have a common ramp and hope that they're daft enough not to realise they can jump over the other side of the ramp, but any better suggestions muchly appreciated

[di]

Sorry,can't offer much(any)advice having not had experience with exbats,but wanted to wish you all the best with it.
Your second paragraph brought a little lump,for our own reasons,we've decided to not have exbats,but reading that made me realise what a wonderful thing it is to do...without meaning to sound patronising,well done!

One thought...when our girls felt too uncomfortable to lay in their nestbox,due to mites,we found their new nest...a dug in tyre amongst some weeds.Wonder if you were to put a box in a sheltered spot for your ASBO girls whether they'd know that's where they should lay...maybe if you popped an egg in there also it would help to get the message across?
Good Luck with it & hope it's not too long before they happily share their home!x

[Glutton4...]

Good on you Vicky!

How many ASBO's? I introduced 8 to 8, then another 4 to that 16, then another 4 to them. Luckily I've got plenty of room, so there's not too much trouble, but the newest always seem to be the 'underdogs.' The last 4 I introduced at dusk, so they all woke up together.

Good luck with them!

[Hashette]

Cheeers Andi&di

Hi Jane, introducing 3 to 3 (we lost Clarissa Chickenson-Wright a month or so ago), but the problem is I daren't let the new lot free range straight off, it will be too much too soon. or at least I think it will based on the experience of last time and I need them to learn where home is first.

[Hilary B]

I would provide a temporary shelter (a tea chest?) for the 'established' group, and let the newcomers have the house-and-nestbox, but only for a few days, then put them all together overnight and hope for the best.
With the ones who know their way about as guides, the newcomers will get the idea, especially if they already know that food is in the enclosed run.

[HayleyB]

I'm always of a mind that if there's more than one then just chuck them in and let them get on with it, they are quick learners

[Glutton4...]

Yup - with you on that one Hayley. Wicked Mummies, aren't we? LOL

I have to say, with both my rescue 'batches' I just let 'em get on with it - yes, even the oven-readies, and that was back in November when it was cold, wet and windy. They were 'un-boxed' straight into their grass run, given food, water and a coop. They put themselves to bed the first night, and provided me with eggs for breakfast the next day.

As Hilary suggests, a large box of some sort may be an idea, then if one of them can't cope at first, at least she can hide if she wants. Good luck with them, and remember we want piccies!!!

[MaureenHall]

Well I'm a bit "half and half" with what's been suggested My last lot of ex-batts were in a small area of the run fenced off from the more experienced girls for a few days. They all slept together and the "old girls" had the use of the nest boxes during the day. Many newly rescued girls haven't a clue where to lay their eggs anyway, and most were found in their part of the run where they dropped them. I did sort out a box with Hemcore in it and a china egg for them to give them some vague idea that that's where I'd like them to lay please (it was used once!). By around day 3 or day 4 they were fine to mix with the older ones and apart from the odd bit of pecking, they settled in fine.

Strangely enough, both sets of ex-batts seem to stick to their own groups even though they've all got the run of the garden as well as their enclosed run. Anyone else found this?

[Bramble-Poultry]

i'm afraid we are chuck it and chancers too - if theres more than 1 we shove them in and let them get on with it - if theres only 1 it can be a little more complicated.

Maureen - yes I find then tend to group together no idea why though!

[Glutton4...]

My 'Brownies' and 'Whities' intermingle happily, but my latest 4 'Newbies' still stick to themselves most of the time. Except for the 2 black Marans, who, probably because they look like one of my others, quite often take a chance and push their luck!

[CoraxAurata]

I would get them settled and worry about where they should be laying later hopefully they will learn that from the others...?

[Hashette]

Thanks for all the advice everyone, we've had a read and decided half and half is the way forward. Hubby's fenced off about two thirds of the run with chicken wire to keep the newbies in when we're at work, which will allow the ASBO mob to free-range and still have access to the coop. The wire near the ramp can be moved back to allow polite mingling (ha!) in the evening when we're around.

Pictures will definitely be posted! I was just looking back at Lady Tottington's pathetic little featherless frame last October, and comparing it with the lovely great big bruiser of a bird we've got now

[Hashette]

Mixed reviews so far - we've had beak-offs and squawking, but on the plus side the newbies have put themselves to bed tonight, just over 24 hours after being rescued from the battery farm. Considering the pop-hole has now closed itself, I'm slightly worried about the noise coming from within, but I suppose the only thing to do is to let them get on with sorting out the pecking order and hope that darkness overcomes agression.

To be fair, if another couple moved into our house, I doubt that Si and I would welcome them and say "help yourselves to the fridge"

[RedThorn]

They tend to settle quickly and once it is dark tend to be quiet. I used the half and half for the last batch of ex batts. Still took about a month for the 2 groups to fully integrate. It looked almost like 2 flocks side by side. The new 5 and the old 5. but as I lost one from the old and 1 from the new, they are now all together as 1 flock. All the best and congrats on the new girls. sorry it took so long for me to see this thread.

[Hashette]

Cheers RT

Oh gawd, another four weeks of this???? We've had an escape artist who was out overnight and is now very firmly bottom of the pecking order - even the other newbies pick on her, so most of her time is spent hiding in the nearest bit of shrubbery where they can't get at her. I keep taking her out to make sure she gets some food and water, but she seems to be getting more scared as time goes on, not less.

Meanwhile Lady bloody Tottington is getting so violent that I've had to shove her in the shed - I caught her standing on the back of one of the newbies pecking hell out of her neck, I really think she'd have killed her if I hadn't been there to stop it.

Any suggestions on how to calm things down, or is it just a case of grin and bear it? I really think Totty needs to be left in isolation until she comes down a bit in the pecking order, although I feel really cruel doing it.