Introducing New Hens to Established Flock ?

I just wanted to provide an update on how the new hen integration is going. I’m pleased to report that our flock is back to (almost) normal. The new hen still gets chased around a bit from the two RIR, but she has made friends with a few other gals. She now roosts immediately in the evening with the flock, instead of milling around outside till dark when she could sneak in to roost. She is, and may always be, lowest in the pecking order and last to get special treats.

I’m happy to say that she never got too bullied, but regret saying that we had some feather picking over Christmas resulting in a naked neck on one of my Easter-eggers. I determined it was a combination of stress from the new girl, boredom with the winter and a possible protein deficiency. I made a few adjustments, including a higher protein feed, a flock-block and a few new features in the run, and things seem to be improving.

The only downfall is egg production is down since we’ve cut the supplemental light. We had a light set to come on early in the morning, but I didn’t want the new gal trapped in the coop for several hours before I was able to open the pop door. I think it might be good though to give the girls a break from laying regularly. I’m sure we’ll be back in full production in the spring.

I have to say that introducing a single hen was stressful (and I likely won't try it again), but ended up working for us because she is a big bird and seems she was fairly dominant in her old flock. If the timing had worked out I think it would have worked better to give her a friend and integrate her as a pair. She is a white Brahma and our only other white bird (an Easter-egger) seems especially fond of her. However, with the cold snap we had in early December and being gone for almost a week at Christmas, it just didn’t work that way. But the flock seems harmonious once again!

Thanks for all your help!

Hello, found this thread to be very interesting since I am in the process of introducing 3 new hens that have been raised together to a pullet and two cockerels that were raised together. I have the 3 hens in a cage next to the established group where they can see each other. I let the established group out every morning to run wild, but keep the newbies in their cage so they will be used to it and will return at night once they are let out to run wild. Today, the two cockerels left their cage but didn't leave the area. The newbies now have access to the established groups cage once they leave out. It gives them more room during the day. One of the cockerels, a bantam Delaware, wanted back in his cage so I opened the door and let him in. The three newbie hens were in their too. When he realized they were in there, the fight began. He began attacking the hen that was the closest and they went for it. I immediately removed the cockerel and put him out the cage to run wild. They neither one were hurt. I guess the best thing to do is to keep them in separate cages until I feel it's ok to let the newbies run wild and let them meet in the wild. That way there will be plenty of room for the one being attacked to get away. I've been stressing about how to introduce them and now I see the stress is justified. Any suggestions will be appreciated. (let me also say the 3 newbies were recently traumatized. This happened about 2 weeks ago. They were in a 10X10 dog pen with a rooster they were raised with. Something got in the cage and killed the rooster. Since then they have all 3 stopped laying eggs. Their previous owner gave them to me. Now I have them in a 10X20 at night and a 10X30 during the day. They are in a dry place now with lots of feed and treats, which they didn't have before. They are extremely skittish. They run from me even though I enter the cage and stand there and just talk to I scatter corn in their pen so they will associate my voice to feed. I've only had them since Sunday. Today is Wednesday. I know it's going to take some time but I'm so anxious to get the two groups together so I can have one feed bowl and one water bowl, etc. ) The flock I have, can hear my voice outside and come running to me. One of the cockerels comes to my back porch, crows and waits on me to go out and pet him. It's so cute. The other cockerel attacks me. When I let them out in the mornings, he hangs behind the other two and attacks me when I start to walk away. I don't know what to do about him. He has drawn blood on my legs. Any suggestions about this?

Thank ya'll for letting me tell about my flock of beebies, as I call them.

3 weeks now two bantam pekins in our now flock of five, did the gentle intro , see but no touch , some pecking but no injuries my question is the new ones won't roost they sit on top of a nesting box in the draft.I have put them on the roost many times.they are 5 months old and existing other 3 (2 dutch bantam 1 silkie bantam) are seven months