I have two ex-bats which have integrated with my previous two hens in an Eglu. I was very kindly lent another Eglu to enable them to acclimatise to their new environment. I let them free-range with my other hens during the day, and they went to their separate Eglus at night. When I found one of my other hens in with them one evening, I reckoned they were ready to be put into one Eglu. They had a few scraps, but it was pretty minor and they all live happily together now.

When I first got the ex-bats, they just stood around a lot, and pecked at completely inappropriate stuff - the wire, the eglu, etc... and I had to show them where the food was. It took awhile for them to work out that they could come out. They didn't scratch and peck the ground for food. But, after awhile, they became normal chickens again. Only one of them appears to be laying, having been with me now since November, and their eggs are much smaller than my other hens. But they are lovely, funny birds.