Introducing Chicks to Hens

[liz9910]

Quote:
Welcome to BYC! Sourland is right on with the advice about chickens with feathers that block their vision, I had two Silikes that were picked on unmercifully and I ended up re-homing them. Good luck to you.

 

[drumstick diva]

 

[gander007]

Alright

great to see ya .......

The introduction really differs as to the amount of space you have available to each chicken and the mellowness of the breed .... Americana or EE's also and Silkies Russian Orloff's are some super mellow chickens I found but what do I know I just put 16 EE's in a raising pin and 3 of my RIR jumped a 4 foot fence to check them out and yes I was worried and kept an eye on them as the hen inspected them and then proceeded to munch down as much turkey grow crumble as they could before being chased out of the cage

Now the geese and ducks just keep their distance except when the chicks get in there way at feeding time but will let the chicks finish after they had their fill .......

It is really all about the time you take to introduce the new comers

Good luck and enjoy your flock

gander007

 

[Blane Chick]

I put my 5 week old chicks in with my 1 year old hens and the only problem I have had is the older hens are scared of my chicks and hide in the nesting box. My bantam is some what aggressive twards me right now cause shes molting. But has showed
no signs of agression tward the new chicks

 

[TwoCrows]

I put my 5 week old chicks in with my 1 year old hens and the only problem I have had is the older hens are scared of my chicks and hide in the nesting box. My bantam is some what aggressive twards me right now cause shes molting. But has showed
no signs of agression tward the new chicks

5 week old chicks should really not be placed in with adult birds so quickly as they can be injured. But I am glad your chicks are not being harmed. As for your bantam being aggressive during molting, are you sure this is molting? Generally during a molt they can get shy and withdrawn.

 

[Blane Chick]

5 week old chicks should really not be placed in with adult birds so quickly as they can be injured. But I am glad your chicks are not being harmed. As for your bantam being aggressive during molting, are you sure this is molting? Generally during a molt they can get shy and withdrawn. 

She is defiantly molting she stopes laying eggs and there are feathers all over the back yard I'm not sure that's what's causing her to be aggressive she has always been a little grumpy tward me but not he other chickens

 

[Blane Chick]

I

She is defiantly molting she stopes laying eggs and there are feathers all over the back yard I'm not sure that's what's causing her to be aggressive she has always been a little grumpy tward me but not he other chickens

I did have to get rid of 2 roosters last year though maybe that's it

 

[jailbirdjulie]

I have 3 chicks that are about 13 weeks old. I put them in a dog cage in the run my hens are in about 2 weeks ago. I put them in with the hens three days ago and the hens have been chasing them but not really hurting them. I got three of the hens as chicks last August. They are gold sex links and they have been picking at the chicks but not hurting them or so I thought! The chicks are a cuckoo maran, silver leghorn and an ameracauna. The leghorn is the smallest of the chicks. Tonight when I went out to check on the chicks the hens had been picking on the leghorn. She has a sore on her back that is at least the size of a quarter and it had been bleeding. I had them in a dog cage when I put them in with the hens but they are too big for the dog cage now. I'm thinking maybe I can just section them off during the day for a while and then still put them in the coop at night. I don't want to take the leghorn out and them have to start over pecking at her after she heals. Last year my silkie was the meanest one of the bunch when I put the babies in with them but this year it's the babies that I put in there last year that are the most aggressive! Any suggestions would be appreciated!

 

[Jewellan]

I have a coop that can house 6 but I only have three right now. The chicks I am putting in it are 4 weeks old. If I get 2 more chicks that are around that age will they ingrate well with the other three. The three I have are 2 Cream Legbars and one Blue Favaucana. I was thinking Red Stars Barred rock?

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

You've received good advice above.

Good luck!