Integrating full grown hen into my existing flock of 12 week old pullets

This is kind of a backwards issue from the norm. I have three 12 week old pullets that have been together and with me since day 2. A friend has a flock of 7- 1&1/2 year old laying hens and 1 has been bullied horribly. It has recently become so bad that she has asked me to take her bullied hen. I agreed to try but not quite sure how to fit her in as smoothly as possible. She takes very good care of her girls and disease and/or parasites are only a small concern. I don't want my girls (2 out of 3 may) to carry on the abuse of this poor hen. I don't know how to feed her & mine: hers,- layer food, adult grit, oyster/egg shells vs. mine - starter - grower food, chick grit, no shells. also, my nesting boxes are blocked off until they are ready to use them. How do I keep them out? Any help and guidance would be greatly appreciated. This just transpired today & I may be getting her tomorrow morning. Thank you!!

Do you have a wire dog crate or an area to keep her separated from your flock for a while? It's good to have a period of look-but-don't-touch where they can get used to each other for a while.

The adult hen can eat grower, just make sure there is a separate dish of calcium/eggshells for her.

Grit is usually not an issue, unless your chickens never touch the ground. They tend to find enough grit in the soil around here, but your situation may be different.

Eventually, she may still get picked on, or she may not. Each flock has its own dynamics and sometimes it's not pretty if there is not enough room for the lower ranking chickens to run away from the bullies.

karinm072 said:

This is kind of a backwards issue from the norm. I have three 12 week old pullets that have been together and with me since day 2. A friend has a flock of 7- 1&1/2 year old laying hens and 1 has been bullied horribly. It has recently become so bad that she has asked me to take her bullied hen. I agreed to try but not quite sure how to fit her in as smoothly as possible. She takes very good care of her girls and disease and/or parasites are only a small concern. I don't want my girls (2 out of 3 may) to carry on the abuse of this poor hen. I don't know how to feed her & mine:  hers,- layer food, adult grit, oyster/egg shells vs. mine - starter - grower food, chick grit, no shells. also, my nesting boxes are blocked off until they are ready to use them. How do I keep them out? Any help and guidance would be greatly appreciated. This just transpired today & I may be getting her tomorrow morning. Thank you!!

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The way I would do it if always an option. Add older more aggressive to smaller / younger on latter's home turf.

I don't have a crate or separate area but was thinking maybe I can section off part of the run. Of course, come night they would all have to go into henhouse together.

You are over thinking this one. The setup you think of as outside the norm is actually the ideal.

When it comes to grit, if you are feeding commercial feeds it's not necessary, not saying it's a bad thing just pointing out it's not necessary... Also put the bigger grit in there and don't worry the chicks will ignore it as it's too big for them...

You can free offer the oyster shells the chicks might look and be curious and even try some but until they need calcium they will mostly ignore it and the little they test won't be harmful...

As others above said the older chicken can eat the chick starter no harm, if it's medicated many choose to not collect the eggs for human consumption while the bird is eating the medicated feed...

You can keep the nesting box closed, chances are the introduced hen won't lay for several week anyway, and if she does she will likely just find a corner to do it in...

As for introductions, I have never really had a problem with my birds... I just slip the new bird in (be it a younger or older bird) after they all go to roost at night and come morning the other birds are curious but never any big issues... But, I'm sure other people have a harder time, it's not written in stone how they will react...

One thing to be very aware of is that the elder bird will likely introduce cocci to the younger birds, so it might be best to start a proactive cocci dosage in the water if you are nto using medicated feed...

The oldest girl is the one being added in to my much younger "teenagers". Two of my girls are not quite bullies but can be a little bossy. My 3rd mostly ignores them. She is my sweetest one and was closest to my 4th, a PBR, that unfortunately was killed by my dog @ 3 weeks. Since then she stays alone often. I'm hoping their new big sis will be a companion for her. She stands up for herself and maybe can keep the other 2 from bothering her.

Like centrarchid said, you have a good situation where the bigger chicken is the "outsider".

I'd still separate for a while when you first bring her home, but that's just what seems to work for me - and I can watch to see if anyone freaks out. LOL

Where can I find cocci preventative to add to water? Would it also be okay for hen to drink? I stopped med. feed a month ago & don't want to switch back.

I don't usually medicate unless one is sick. If your chicks are 12 weeks, they probably have built up immunity already.