How should I add new birds to my flock?

[JennyG0123]

I’m down to 3 hens and 1 rooster and need to beef up my flock again because my girls are currently still not laying any eggs. I won’t be buying chicks because I just don’t have that much time but we have been told we can buy pullets locally and usually at a discount price. I am also thinking about getting a very small flock of ducks because I know they are good at egg production.
We have a small 4x5 box that we use when our girls get broody and want to lay on some eggs. My first thought was to keep them in there for a while. Close to the coop so the birds can see each other but can’t get to each other. However I’m not really sure what to do after that. How should I introduce them to each other together? Should I do this one at a time? How long should this process take? Should I do the same thing with the ducks or should I keep them completely separate all together?

 

[aart]

I won’t be buying chicks because I just don’t have that much time

Enough time for what...waiting for eggs or....?
Keep in mind that bringing older birds in is a risk for also bringing in pests and/or disease.

My first thought was to keep them in there for a while. Close to the coop so the birds can see each other but can’t get to each other.

That might work well.
Not sure about ducks....but think about their different needs and that fact that ducks make a wet mess and that's not great for chickens.

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/

 

[JennyG0123]

Enough time for what...waiting for eggs or....?
Keep in mind that bringing older birds in is a risk for also bringing in pests and/or disease.


That might work well.
Not sure about ducks....but think about their different needs and that fact that ducks make a wet mess and that's not great for chickens.

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/

To your question “I don’t have enough time for what?” I don’t have enough time for baby chicks. That’s why I explained we would be looking for pullets. Baby chicks take a lot of my time to raise. Unfortunately my time is spread pretty thin these days. I just don’t have time to spend 20-30 mins cleaning baby bird booties. With and older bird they are already past that stage and there’s a little less to worry about.
I’m really just concerned about introducing and integrating new birds into an already established flock. Thank you so much for all of your advice. I will definitely be using this to help me out.

 

[Mrs. K]

A simple technique that has worked fairly well for me, in getting birds into the flock in a week or less. Might not always work, but I have had good luck. It is a little fiddling around.

Let the old flock outside into your yard or free ranging. Lock the new birds in the coop/run. If your laying flock is laying set up a nest near where they would enter, and they will figure it out. Feed along the fence.

This does a couple of things - it allows the new birds to explore a new area without being chased for their lives. They find hide outs, multiple feed bowls, and escape routes. And they get some territorial rights. When you stick in strange birds into a strange coop, they know they don't belong there, and so do the old birds and it can get rough. This is basically the see -no touch method without rebuilding your coop.

Near dark - I gather up the newbies, put them in a dog crate in the coop, and let the others in. Repeat the second day. The third day - leave an equal number of old birds in with the same number of new birds. There will be a dust up but it should not be relentless. Do this on a day where as you can keep an eye on it. Some birds are heartless, if so pull the meanest one. Often times then it will settle.

If you are feeling brave - things are going well. You can just let them go to roost, letting in the old girls that are still outside, in to roost. Be down there early the next morning.

I do leave the pop up open, so nothing has to stay in the coop.
I do have multiple feed bowls set up so that birds eating at one can't see other birds
eating at another.
I do have a lot of clutter in my run.

Mrs K