I would really appreciate any advice about blending flocks.
I have one 4+ year old auracona and 2+ two years old astralorpes in a flock that began as 9 five years ago.
It was daunting to learn the hard way aboout predators, "mad" as in crazy rooster and pecking order blood.
I am being gifted 4 auracona hens and a Brahma rooster this summer from a lady who is getting a huge amount from a hachery she special orders for herself. She will be raising them past chick to youth and i will get them partailly raised.
My questions are:
1. what is a safe amount of space to prevent over crowding? My coop has 2 double laying boxes, my run is 8 feet x 10 feet .Complete avairy containment. (its a little palace!) I will build as needed.
2.While the new chickens are in quarrentine, is there a way to ease the old ones and new ones without blood letting?
3. The rooster my friend is gifting me is a Brahma. She had a very loving gentle one and reccomended him.
All the new girls will be auracona. Do you need more adjustment time besides the quarantine when introducing a rooster
4 will there always be a picked on or pecked one? I don't know how much "pecked" at or on is normal or abnormal.
I love my old girls and I know they don't live really long lives, hence my reason for flock additions. No meat hens, just eggs. Any words of advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for listening.
