Can you split a pre-established flock if they are young?

[fowlplay_suspected]

Hello, all. I think my question / thread belongs here, as it's about flock management. A friend of mine has roughly 9 chickens- 1 rooster(?), and the rest hens. I can't discern what breed they all are, so sorry for the lack of information on that end. She expressed wanting to get rid of them-- nothing wrong with them, but she doesn't want them. The full situation is a little bit to explain, and I'm not in the business of airing other people's laundry out fully. So TL;DR : don't judge my friend harshly!

She commented that they'd be laying eggs starting next month, so they're still quite young.

Which leads me to my situation and subsequent question. I offered to take some-- as I can't house 9 extra chickens. I was wondering if we could split the flock and re-home them to multiple people who wanted them. Would this make the chickens die / get extremely stressed? Or are they young enough that you could do so and integrate them into new flocks with little problems aside from the common sense measure to make sure they're not sick + contagious? I want the chickens to be in a place where they're wanted, and I wouldn't mind taking a few into my flock. I'd take all of them if I could, buuut.. haha, my pen prevents me from doing so. Not that much room that we could have over 20 chickens. What should I do? If there's really nothing, then I'll just leave it at that. Perhaps it's also a personal want, as I find the chickens to be quite pretty. There's a pullet I'm very charmed by in terms of appearance. LOL!

 

[Sussex19]

None of my chickens have ever been bothered in the slightest by being split up, moved into different groups, or different locations.
This is both young ones, and older ones. The only ones which would get stressed by it would be if you were trying to separate a broody hen and her babies, or if you took all the hens away from a rooster.
This is just my experience, but I would be very surprised if it caused any very bad problems, as long as they have a mate to go with them : )

 

[ChickenTenderKesha]

I don’t imagine it would cause too much stress as I’ve noticed there’s definitely 4 cockerels in those photos ! Which leaves 5 hens from what I’ve been able to tell.

It won’t be too hard to rehome the pullets but it may be tricky rehoming the roosters unless you rehome them as two pairs and a trio to make sure they don’t get stuck with the boys left as I’ve known it hard to rehome males. You could either rehome the males to different places or a single home with lots of hens present (I prefer 9 hens per cockerel/rooster).

Some really nice looking birds they have!!
Good luck on rehoming! I’ve had some troubles but also some great successes with rehoming as well

 

[aart]

I was wondering if we could split the flock and re-home them to multiple people who wanted them. Would this make the chickens die / get extremely stressed?

No way. It's the integrating with their new flocks that could bring trouble.

integrate them into new flocks with little problems aside from the common sense measure to make sure they're not sick + contagious?

BYC Medical Quarantine Article
Not sure if you've ever integrated before but....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/

 

[LaFleche]

You could post pictures of the birds you want to take to make sure they are pullets and not cockerels.

And if you take all 5 pullets no possible bonds or friendships among them will be interrupted.

Finding new homes for the remaining cockerels should be difficult this time of year, but as a last resort they could serve well as someones meal.

 

[K0k0shka]

A lot of boys in that group, at least 4... The most important thing about rehoming is to not rehome single chickens. They need to have at least one buddy to go with, because chickens hate newcomers and their new flock will be hostile towards them until they are fully integrated. So it's good to have company while trying to fit in with the rest. Just make sure that whoever takes a pair, is aware of their sexes, so they don't end up with an unwanted cockerel that they get rid of and the remaining pullet is left alone in the new flock. Same goes for yourself. If you don't want roosters, make sure you pick well and pick females. The pretty one you like is female, looks like a Welsummer. I wouldn't advise picking a male and a female out of this group to keep as a pair even if you did want a new rooster, because wherever the pair goes, the resident hens will be hostile at first and won't let the new male mate them for quite some time. All of the males in this photo look sexually mature, so being that the buddy he came with will be the only one who lets him, he'll overmate her and can injure and stress her. So the boys will best go to either a bachelor pad, or just rehome single roosters into all-female new flocks, where yeah he'll be the bullied newcomer for a while, but after that he'll be happy to have so many women all to himself!

 

[arazla]

Wow, I realize this is from a year ago, but my experience is so different. My chickens have individual personalities, are very emotional, have their own alliances and may be very bonded to their flock. I am still new, but say this after attempting various configurations since I have equal roosters and learning that certain chickens won't easily submit to a new order or continue to pine for the old flock even after bringing new hens in for them. That being said, of course separating them out is much better than leaving them where they're not wanted or possibly cared for.