Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: mixing breeds together  (Read 3999 times)

yorksfarmer

  • Joined Aug 2008
  • scarborough
    • The Tack Shack
mixing breeds together
« on: August 26, 2008, 07:42:51 am »
Just bought some light sussex after our others were killed by the local kids, and they seem to be settling in nicely.  The thing is the wife would like some buffs aswell but not sure if they will mix with the sussex or world war 3 will break out???  Also does anyone have any buffs for sale in the scarborough area?
Cheers

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: mixing breeds together
« Reply #1 on: August 26, 2008, 09:53:03 pm »
Hi, there

If you put new hens in with an established flock, you might get fireworks but it's nothing to do with mixing the breeds. There are two schools of thought on this - stick them in and let them get on with establishing a new pecking order or a more softly, softly approach, which has always worked for us.

We pen the new hens in sight of the flock and give them corn together, but with the new ones safely penned. After a week of so, we put the new ones in with the old ones at night - the idea is that by morning, they don't know the difference. It's always worked for us although ours freerange, so any hen getting  a hard time can just leg it.

MissTexel

  • Joined Oct 2008
Re: mixing breeds together
« Reply #2 on: October 30, 2008, 03:27:23 am »
I would try introducing them at night once it is completely dark outside! Most of them time if you just put them in, when they wake up in the morning they think that those hens have been there all along! They will re -establish there pecking order of course but it tends to be much less violent! We always use this method ever since we had a hen killed after we introduced her! It has always worked for us! Good luck! :)

garden cottage

  • Joined Sep 2008
  • forest of dean
Re: mixing breeds together
« Reply #3 on: October 30, 2008, 06:53:32 am »
I think they should mix without any problems as long as their all hens. the only time fighting starts is with cockerels, everything runs together at our madhouse, black rocks,silkies,bantams and 4 cockerels.

yorksfarmer

  • Joined Aug 2008
  • scarborough
    • The Tack Shack
Re: mixing breeds together
« Reply #4 on: October 31, 2008, 07:06:09 am »
We've put the buff orpingtons in with the light sussex and after a few hours of the buffs been chased around the figured out theres 10 of them and only 2 sussex... Think the sussex got quite a shock when they stood there ground so all seems fine now. Have another 2 buffs to go out with them but won't be til after xmas now as its far to cold up here now.

 

Forum sponsors

FibreHut Energy Helpline Thomson & Morgan Time for Paws Scottish Smallholder & Grower Festival Ark Farm Livestock Movement Service

© The Accidental Smallholder Ltd 2003-2024. All rights reserved.

Design by Furness Internet

Site developed by Champion IS