From page 35
POULTRY CARE
chickens' curiosity, but will
not make them feel that their
home is being invaded. Keep
this arrangement for a week
for the best chance at
success.
This alone may do the trick
and after a few days the new
additions may be able to
roam in the main coop with
relatively little harassment.
This is important if the new
ones are young or smaller
than the existing ones.
Chickens can be real bullies,
especially when they have
smaller, weaker birds to pick
on, so if the new arrivals are
baby chicks they should be
kept in a separate coop or
enclosure until they are old
enough and strong enough to
stand a fighting chance
against the higher ranked
chickens of the pecking order.
Some experts suggest having
a water pistol or a well
washed washing up liquid
container, filled with water
ready by the coop. Although
it might look as though
several of your chickens are
picking on the new ones,
there is likely to be just one
ring leader with his trusty
henchmen.
Once one has identified the
instigator of the bullying, one
simply squirts water at him –
avoiding his head so as not to
damage eyes, ears or fill
nostrils – each time he
launchs an attack.
He will soon get the message
and hopefully harmony will
be restored. The chickens
then see the human as the
dominant member of the
flock and will defer to him or
her.
If the chicken are free range,
they are likely to sort
themselves out sooner.
If they are in a coop, one can
introduce a distraction in the
form of a hanging cabbage,
squash, lettuce, kale, spinach
etc from a string or bungee
cord. Tie it to a fence or from
the ceiling in the coop or
anywhere else they might be
able to play with it.
If there are squashes that
were not harvested early
enough (very possible on a
smallholding at this time of
year), cut them in half and
the hens will enjoy pecking at
them.
Large marrows cut open will
serve the same purpose.
Make holes in small plastic
bottles and fill them with
seeds. The hens will discover
that when they roll the bottle
a treat comes out. This should
keep them distracted for
quite a while.
If a bird develops a bloody or
very red wound during a
squabble then it is important
to separate it from the flock
until it heals, as the other
birds will attack the area
relentlessly, making it much
worse or, in a worst case,
even killing it.
After a while they should
have settled down into their
new order.
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