How should i introduce my 8 week old biddys to adult hens?

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Dunnfamilyfarm

Dunnfamilyfarm

Chirping
7 Years
Feb 26, 2012
18
1
67
I have 8 adult black star laying hens and i also have (6) 8 week old biddys; How can i add them to the flock without the hens killing them? I tried the other day to add only one of the biddies in the pen and the hens immediately came over and hovered over the biddy and then when one hen started they all started to peck it. so i grab it up and put it back with the others. Any Ideas?
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I'm waiting for my 8 week old chicks to get a little bigger in size, They are in a grow out area that shares the coop/ roost with the hens and are visible in seperate runs. They have had a few encounters but I still think they need a little more size.
 
Something that worked excellent for us was this...if you have an enclosed run, that is.

Put your new additions in crates IN the run and leave them. Make sure the crate is big enough for all the little ones or split them into two, but we used a big dog crate when we did this and just left the new ones in the crate like that full time. Everyone got to see each other, but no one could corner and really hurt anyone. After three days of this we started free ranging everyone together for a few hours each evening. After one full week, we spent a weekend at home and mixed everyone together free range and then in the run and coop. It was awesome..there was SOME pecking, but no gang attacks or constant aggression. The new ones followed the old into the coop at night and were out the next morning without issue. Everything's been fine ever since.
 
RedDrgn said:
Something that worked excellent for us was this...if you have an enclosed run, that is.

Put your new additions in crates IN the run and leave them.  Make sure the crate is big enough for all the little ones or split them into two, but we used a big dog crate when we did this and just left the new ones in the crate like that full time.  Everyone got to see each other, but no one could corner and really hurt anyone.  After three days of this we started free ranging everyone together for a few hours each evening.  After one full week, we spent a weekend at home and mixed everyone together free range and then in the run and coop.  It was awesome..there was SOME pecking, but no gang attacks or constant aggression.  The new ones followed the old into the coop at night and were out the next morning without issue.  Everything's been fine ever since.
Click to expand...


I've done pretty much the same thing several times and had great results. I use a bottomless welded wire cage so the new birds are fully visible from all sides and can investigate and be investigated as if they were loose in the run. I usually just do this for a day or two and find that by the end of that time, the older birds have gotten past the initial curiousity stage and don't take much notice when I actually let the new ones free. Like others have said, a few scuffles to establish pecking order are normal, but we've never had any gang violence after introducing birds this way. :)
 
i have four week old biddies and i put them in their coop on sun.my older gals have been squawking something terrible.the babies are visible but seperated from the older hens.i'am concerned that my older gals won't accept the new chicks.
 
RedDrgn said:
Something that worked excellent for us was this...if you have an enclosed run, that is.

Put your new additions in crates IN the run and leave them. Make sure the crate is big enough for all the little ones or split them into two, but we used a big dog crate when we did this and just left the new ones in the crate like that full time. Everyone got to see each other, but no one could corner and really hurt anyone. After three days of this we started free ranging everyone together for a few hours each evening. After one full week, we spent a weekend at home and mixed everyone together free range and then in the run and coop. It was awesome..there was SOME pecking, but no gang attacks or constant aggression. The new ones followed the old into the coop at night and were out the next morning without issue. Everything's been fine ever since.
Click to expand...




Keileigh said:
I've done pretty much the same thing several times and had great results. I use a bottomless welded wire cage so the new birds are fully visible from all sides and can investigate and be investigated as if they were loose in the run. I usually just do this for a day or two and find that by the end of that time, the older birds have gotten past the initial curiousity stage and don't take much notice when I actually let the new ones free. Like others have said, a few scuffles to establish pecking order are normal, but we've never had any gang violence after introducing birds this way.
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Click to expand...

Actually i did that with the crate after the first attempt. They have been in it for about a week so maybe ill give it a try this weekend all the girls together. thanks Very much
 
I put a wire dog kennel inside the coop to keep a barrier between the two. The little ones were 12 weeks before I let them out with the others.

It took 3 full weeks to fully integrate. It wasn't easy, but I spent hours in the coop supervising when first roaming together just so no one got hurt.

I'm adding 3 more to the flock this year due to running out of eggs just with our own immediate family. 8 hens isn't enough for us.lol. Anyways, I'll use the dog crate again in the coop when the last baby is fully feathered. I won't let them roam together until they are the same size(12-16 weeks or more). They'll be in the crate longer then 3 weeks. The new 3 I bought are very mild tempered.
 
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