Can these be introduced?

I have these 3 silkie pullets (I think at least 1 of the black ones might be a cockerel) that have been together in this tractor since chicks. They don't roost but just huddle together in a box with bedding. can I introduce them into the main flock coop? Will they figure out how to roost? I even have some really low ones. It's just getting rainy now and they should probably get some better cover.

Depends does your main flock have a rooster?

Yes. Right now there is a nice rooster as well as a cockerel that used to be in the tractor with the silkies because I got them all together. But the cockerel has been in the the others for a week or two.

I can leave them in the tractor and do some tarping it'd just be easier if they were all together.

The dominate rooster might have an issue with the silkie rooster. Mostly depending on age and maturity of the silkie. If he close to mating then i wouldnt. But others might know better them me. Anytime i read anything on roosters if they close to each other age and young then they fight if one way older they generally dont have a problem whether thats true or not i dont know the only rooster i have had went the way of the freezer.

Jesusfreak101 said:

The dominate rooster might have an issue with the silkie rooster. Mostly depending on age and maturity of the silkie. If he close to mating then i wouldnt. But others might know better them me. Anytime i read anything on roosters if they close to each other age and young then they fight if one way older they generally dont have a problem whether thats true or not i dont know the only rooster i have had went the way of the freezer.

Click to expand...

I think that it depends on the attitude of the younger roo. If he is submissive, then there will be no fighting. I introduced a new roo to my flock (with an existing one of about the same age) and after 10 seconds of deciding who was boss, all was fine. On the other hand, i had two young roos (3.5 months) that were brothers and a few weeks ago they had a real humdinger of a fight an both of them were left in tatters! (both were eaten the same day).

I guess that it also depends on how you keep your chickens - if free range there will in theory, be less of a potential for a problem.

CT

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

It's about territory and resources(food/water/space). Existing birds will almost always attack new ones.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

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.

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.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best of mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

Another option, if possible, is to put all birds in a new coop and run, this takes the territoriality issues away.

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.


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

Thank you! That was helpful. They have all those things already- free range, separate feeding and water stations, etc. the younger roo is on Craigslist now and if no one wants him he'll be dinner. So it'll just be back to my nice older, but still <1yr rooster.