Adding young (unexpected) rooster and 6 hens to existing flock

[Harmony Hill]

Hello again!
So, I have "Elvis' a bantam rooster that is I guess around 1 year old. He just showed up one day and started this whole crazy chicken thing .. He has 3 hens, a cochin, a RIR cross and Spotted Sussex. They only sleep in coop - free range all day. Along side the run/coop are 6 hens and 1 totally unexpected rooster (light Brahma) that are 11 weeks old. they have a coop of their own and the run is attached to side and back of Elvis's coop and run. I have not let the 11 week olds out to free range yet, as they seem too small to me. My question is -when can I let them free range and how bad will it be between Elvis and Brahma rooster? Is there much of a chance the two can live together with out fighting all the time? I have put a sign up at feed store for free rooster with no luck yet. That Brahma rooster is going to be big!! But Elvis has gotten into a fight w/my neighbor's full size Roo - they both lived, but that Roo has not come back towards my house.
Part two -
My Cochin is either broody or molting;she is staying in the coop and not laying. She did this once before and I put her in w/chicks for about a week and then she was fine. Accepted back into flock with little to no problems.(I put her in at night) later, She spent a couple days in the coop then decided to come back out. Elvis acted like she was a predator - he got her pretty good. She was in shock, I put that purple stuff on her comb, drops in eyes and let her back out. She stayed separated and now won't come back out of the coop if others are around. Should I put her back in with chicks? Why is Elvis being such a butt to her? "Dolly' is my favorite and so docile, I hate to see her getting picked on.
I know - people emotions don't equate to chicken emotions.. but still.....

 

[Silo]

I would let them free range but wait till a day when you can be there to watch them. I'd put the hen with the chicks and see if she starts acting alright with them. Don't worry you are not the only one who has a favourite chicke

 

[Harmony Hill]

Thanks Silo.
well, we don't have to worry about Elvis anymore ( guess I need to change my profile pic). He had to be rehomed because when I came home yesterday he had gotten Dolly again - and bad. Both her eyes are swollen shut, head is swollen, she looks awful. I cleaned her up, eye drops, purple stuff, etc. She did drink some and ate a tad from my hand. My other hens are not being mean to her at all, so they have the big coop to themselves. I figure I will let Dolly recover and then go ahead and let the 11 week olds out to free range and put them in big coop soon there after. Hopefully the Light Braham rooster will not be as mean as Elvis. In Elvis's defense, I guess he was just doing what fighting bantams do - that might be why he was dumped at my house to begin with.
Kinda sad day, but I know he will be ok.
Does my plan sound ok? Do you think my Dolly will come out of it and be ok? She was already blind in one eye from a mean hen I gave to my neighbor.

 

[Silo]

You sound like got it in control Dolly should be a trooper and make it out alright. Hope she gets better quick!

 

[aart]

The older hens should school the young brahma cockerel to teach him his manners...brahmas are one of the most docile breeds, so hopefully it will go well.


Here's some notes I've taken on integration that I found to be very helpful.......
......take what applies or might help and ignore the rest.
See if any of them, or the links provided at the bottom, might offer some tips that will assist you in your situation:

Integration of new chickens into flock.

Consider medical quarantine:
BYC Medical Quarantine Article
Poultry Biosecurity
BYC 'medical quarantine' search

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact. Integrating new birds of equal size works best.

For smaller chicks I used a large wire dog crate right in the coop for the smallers. I removed the crate door and put up a piece of wire fencing over the opening and bent up one corner just enough for the smallers to fit thru but the biggers could not. Feed and water inside the crate for the smallers. Make sure the smallers know how to get in and out of the crate opening before exposing them to the olders. this worked out great for me, by the time the crate was too small for the them to roost in there(about 3 weeks), they had pretty much integrated themselves to the olders.

If you have too many smallers to fit in a crate you can partition off part of the coop with a wire wall and make the same openings for smallers escape.


The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide out of line of sight and/or up and away from any bully birds.

Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

 

[Harmony Hill]

thanks aart - good info to have.

Dolly is still alive, that is about all I can say about that. I have been able to get some eggs, yogurt, watermelon and water in her. not allot, but some. She is pretty much staying put in the run. I put her in the coop at night. I sure hope she comes out of this, but I just don't know.

Let my 11 weekers out, they were funny. They did good, hung around pretty close. One GLW and Red, my RIR cross did some chest bumping, and when the young girl did not get it, a quick peck from Red was all it took. They have been living beside each other for several weeks, so that probably helped. They have not 'joined' my other two hens yet. But, they do go in for nap time in their shaded area and were all back in the run when I went to put them up for day. I think once Dolly recovers (fingers crossed) I will be able to let them all have the big coop and take down the 'Chicken Ghetto"

So, so far so good - just really hope Dolly will pull through.