POULTRY
CARE
One should ensure one is
From page 33
new chicken
from being
In any flock there is a pecking
completely
order. This is a hierarchy
isolated by the
which is created as a means
rest of the flock,
of attaining and keeping
and if bullying is
order. Each chicken knows
to occur, it won't
where it stands in the order,
fall on just one
which is established when a
poor chicken.
chicken grows up in a flock.
What might
Unless a member of the flock
work is to put
is removed or added, the
them in the coop
pecking order may remain
A coop within the existing coop for the newcomers
at night, when
the same for a long time,
Newcomers will quickly be
the flock have settled down
although it is never perma-
shown their place , sometimes
for the night. When they all
nent.
with quite violent displays of
wake up one will often find
When new chickens are
aggression or by denying
that the original birds give the
introduced, problems are
them access to food and
new ones the benefit of the
likely to arise until the
water.
doubt and the job is done.
pecking order is re-
For this reason it is best to
established again.
integrate new birds in a way
that reduces this initial
confrontation to a minimum.
Being introduced into an
already established flock can
be very daunting for a solo
chicken, so try to introduce
two or more chickens
together at a time ~ even
better if they already know
each other. This will keep the
35
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around when they wake up
though, as if the original
chickens aren't fooled there
will be a fight and it is best
to separate them.
Another method is to allow
the new chickens and the
established ones to get used
to seeing and hearing one
another. House the new ones
in a separate run either very
close to the existing run or
even inside it. Provide the
new chickens with some-
where to shelter and their
own supply of food and
water. This should arouse the
Continued on page 37