Adding new birds?

[ssramage]

Hello, I currently have a flock of 11 birds all about 6 months old. I've got an opportunity to pick up another 8-10 birds that are a little younger (3 months old). What's the best way to integrate them into my flock?

My coop is made from dog kennels, and I do have the option of leaving them separate for a while (coop sections use same side walls but are separate spaces).

Thoughts/advice?

 

[Debbie292d]

Hello, I currently have a flock of 11 birds all about 6 months old. I've got an opportunity to pick up another 8-10 birds that are a little younger (3 months old). What's the best way to integrate them into my flock?

My coop is made from dog kennels, and I do have the option of leaving them separate for a while (coop sections use same side walls but are separate spaces).

Thoughts/advice?

What kind are each group?
My personal experience with silkies is they can integrate without a flaw if they are all the same size, around 5 months old.

How we do it for the new ones that are in a separate temp coop is leave a light on in the main coop and lock them out of their temp. We herd them toward it and help them in (it's usually dark by now.) It takes about 4 times each time we do it this way. If you don't have a light in your coop, you probably have a solar light or lantern you can sit near the chicken door.

 

[LaFleche]

I would quarantine the new birds far away from my original flock for 3-4 weeks and use this time to treat them thoroughly for internal and external parasites.

Then house them near each other for some weeks while letting them free range together for a few supervised hours each day.

 

[aart]

I would quarantine the new birds far away from my original flock for 3-4 weeks and use this time to treat them thoroughly for internal and external parasites.

Yes!
Here's how:
BYC Medical Quarantine Article

Then house them near each other for some weeks while letting them free range together for a few supervised hours each day.

Here's some tips about.....
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
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.

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

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 copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, 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'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[Mrs. K]

You are basically thinking of doubling your flock, which REALLY MEANS DOUBLE THE SPACE!! Double the feed bill, double the manure. BUT THE Big problem is the space.

How much space do you have? Overcrowding, going into winter is a recipe for very ugly behavior.

 

[ssramage]

You are basically thinking of doubling your flock, which REALLY MEANS DOUBLE THE SPACE!! Double the feed bill, double the manure. BUT THE Big problem is the space.

How much space do you have? Overcrowding, going into winter is a recipe for very ugly behavior.

We don't really get winter here in Southeast GA...

I use metal dog kennel type coops (basically like the Retriever brand from TSC). I have 150sqft of contained space as it's set up right now. I also have the ability to let them free range some on my 5 acres, but I'll be getting an electric fence soon to contain that some.