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options for integrating pullets with older girls
Hi all,
You may have noticed my recent post about the 7 week old pullets (now nearing 8 weeks). I brought two of them home, and they are smaller than I'd imagined, and not ready to integrate with my 'big girls'. (Also one of the 'big girls' is Really Upset about them... wouldn't be safe for the little girls at this time!)
I don't want to leave the little girls in the kitchen any longer than necessary. I have several thoughts:
1) put the dog crate (with the little girls) into the run with the big girls. That could be stressful, but at least they'd be outdoors.
2) build a temporary chicken tractor or small run for the little girls during the day and continue to keep them inside at night
3) find someone with similar age girls and/or non-aggressive girls to 'babysit' until they get bigger
Does anyone have any thoughts? Or can offer to help with any of the above? I can pay someone to help me build a tractor/run, my usual Duncan is not available this week.
Please don't leave any detailed messages on my home phone - the answering machine is terrible and I can't understand anything on there.
Thanks,
Alyssa
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Vicky on -
Hi Alyssa,
I have a rabbit hutch that could go outside to put the little ones in during the day, if that would help
you would have to come get it though....
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Permalink Reply by Alyssa K on -
Looks like a definite possibility! I still have your number; I'll call you this afternoon or tonight. Thanks!!
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Permalink Reply by Caitlin Dorward on -
Hey Alyssa,
At farm school we started integrating the pullets with the hens by just putting the pullets in a big cardboard box inside the run. So they were all in the same run (getting used to each others presence?) but not able to actually get at one another. Sounds basically the same as your idea with the dog kennel.
We also had a heat lamp set up over the cardboard box so that they could sleep in there at night, away from the hens.Let us know what works!
Caitlin
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Permalink Reply by Caitlin Dorward on
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ps are you still looking for people to adopt them?
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Permalink Reply by Alyssa K on
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Hi Caitlin, I plan to keep the two that I got (assuming Rosie settles down and doesn't kill them, or they grow big enough to defend themselves).
However, there are at least a half dozen more females at the place in Surrey/Langley - and she will deliver to Vancouver. The birds are lap tame already, at 8 weeks about the size of a cantaloupe. If anyone wants any, please contact the email in my original post about the rescue chickens.
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