Adding new birds?

[monster rooster]

PS I also heard just put them in at night.

 

[starkweather]

One of my hen's has joined the neighbor's flock of chickens after all but two of my hens were killed. I free range my chickens but they do have a coop with a run. One hen I moved her eggs and chicks into the coop today the other is still free ranging with the neighbor's flock. Should I try to get her back to my flock or let her be? Since i do free range my hens during the day I'm not sure if she will just keep roosting next door? Has anyone else had this problem?

 

[Thebadchicken]

Some people think that I am crazy, However, After I quarantine the newbies to ensure they are not sick I place them on the roosts at dusk. They may peck very little before bed time. When they wake up, go out into the run, and eat there seems to be very little problems. It has worked very well for me. My father uses a metal crate so they can get used to each other first. I just have yet had the need to do so.

 

[newbie32]

Hello everyone. New member here, and new to this crazy hobby, but in love with it. I spent months researching this site prior to getting started, and someday hope to be able to share pics of my chicks and coop. For now though, I have an introdcution of chicks question:

In two weeks I will be getting three 4-week old Australorps, and will need to introduce them to my five 7-week old chicks (3 orps and 2 Red Stars (they will be 7-weeks old at the time)).
I've been reading all I can about introducing new chicks, but I haven't seen any scenarios where the chicks are so young and so close in age.
What kind of problems can I expect to see? Was hoping to just be able to put them in the coop/run together, but I guess I need to quarantine for awhile first. It will be mid- to high-40's here at night by then, and my current chicks are just now starting to go into the coop at night on their own with the aid of a nightlight and a little heat lamp.
Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Falcon

YES you still need to quarantine. I just brought home some new chicks today, one from the same hatching as one of my first birds. They are all young but I am quarantining. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Junibutt]

I am having a hard time integrating 3 x 17 week pullets with my existing 3 x 23 week hens. I introduced them slowly being visible in a separate pen for 3 days. Then letting the older ones free range for 4 days while the younger ones stayed in the coop. Finally I introduced the younger ones into the coop at night after 1 week. Night went by fine, at the break of dawn I woke up to see what was going on. Within 15 minutes (as the light became stronger), all hell broke lose on the young ones. My 2 RSLs went after them like crazy while they huddled into a corner and hid their heads. But the pecking wouldn't stop. Meanwhile my 3rd older RIR stayed aloof. I watched it for almost 2 hrs and could not take it anymore and took them out and placed in the pen again. Since the first debacle, I have tried everything, free-ranging together, letting the younger ones stay in the coop all day while keeping the older ones in the pen but its the same story every morning. I can't even leave them in with the RIR now because even she has joined in on the beating up. The 2 Wyandottes (younger ones) are kinda able to protect themselves by huddling in the corner or behind the food container but the Australorp gets chased around like crazy.

Even when they are free-ranging (in the 4 parking spots in my backyard), the older ones would come from 40-50 feet away if they watch the younger ones eating something and chase them. They even leave their dust-bath to do so.

What am I doing wrong? I have tried the peck repellent spray (supposed to taste bad) to no avail. I really think that now they are being pecked because they are so scared that they start running at the sight/sound of older ones, creating a ruckus that invites the older hens fury.

Any suggestions since its been more than 3 weeks now and am I tired of constantly shuffling their cages all day?

Can anyone suggest anything? Nothing has changed since I posted this few days ago. The newbies are being pecked like crazy, huddling and hiding in a corner and still being beat up non-stop and this is week number 4.

 

[newbie32]

Try removing them and wait another week inside the coop or run but not able to touch-ie separate them but still make it so they can see and hear each other.

 

[Gramma Chick]

Quote:

Can anyone suggest anything? Nothing has changed since I posted this few days ago. The newbies are being pecked like crazy, huddling and hiding in a corner and still being beat up non-stop and this is week number 4.

Are the 17 week pullets alot smaller ? than the 23 week hens.? they could be too young to intergrate yet ..
You need to mix it up some ...Can you remove the top hen for a few days ? keep her away from the other 2 ? without them seeing her for a while
Change the roost / around ? They have a routine ...you need to break their established pecking order . can you put them in the baby pen ?
Or try putting one of those chickens in with the younger one s ..she should still peck ..but probably less .
You also could add a roo ...that will change the pecking order

 

[Junibutt]

Are the 17 week pullets alot smaller ? than the 23 week hens.? they could be too young to intergrate yet ..
You need to mix it up some ...Can you remove the top hen for a few days ? keep her away from the other 2 ? without them seeing her for a while
Change the roost / around ? They have a routine ...you need to break their established pecking order . can you put them in the baby pen ?
Or try putting one of those chickens in with the younger one s ..she should still peck ..but probably less .
You also could add a roo ...that will change the pecking order

Roo is out of question, 1 of the neighbors did not like him so I had to re-home him. What I currently do during the day when the two Red Stars have laid eggs already (by 9 in the morning), I separate them and put them in a small pen outside or in the front yard (to protect from the sun). The RIR becomes less aggressive when the Red-Stars are gone (It seems like its her duty to beat them up when the boss is around). When Tree-Trunks lays her egg around 11:00 AM, I take her out as well and put her with the red-stars in a pen. They stay out all day till dusk when I let them back in the coop. They are less aggressive at that time and after 20-30 minutes climb upstairs into their roosting area. I work from home so I am managing it but getting tired.

Please note that I cannot keep them separate at night because the older hens are used to roosting and they need their space plus they have to lay eggs in the morning and the nest are in the roost. One if the younger ones Mable laid her first egg yesterday so can't switch it around either.

I am going to try to see if only taking out the "Top-Hen"= Pepe helps change the pecking order. Even the second in command Marcy is scared of Pepe and stops eating on one stare from her. But logically speaking, since the second in command is a bully herself, I don't see that happening. Unless the bullying behavior is being promoted by Pepe and her absence will tone it down.

Comments/Suggestion?

 

[Gramma Chick]

Quote:
mess up the pecking order ..what ever way you can
they dont have to have a roost . If there is not a roost they will sleep on the ground .
You could separate her & put a nesting box in with them .
or I would try putting a lesser in with the babies at night ...keep them a flock ..
After a week or so add another lesser ...after another week only PEPE will be left to add
They can control it some ...laying a egg
I have had a hen that was free ranging that couldnt get into the coop ...squawk like crazy to get in ..I open it up
she raced into the coop & bam laid a egg

 

[ghostwolf211]

I've heard that you can also hobble your chicken by attaching a weight to one of the legs....I don't know if this is true or not but maybe someone else has had some experience with this