Introducing new chickens question??

[brianb88]

I am about to introduce a young (1year old) breeding pair of BCM's to my flock of one 7 month BCM hen that hasn't been around other chickens. I am looking for advice as to the best way to approach this.

Should I keep them separated and for how long, just throw them together right away or give my hen away to a good home and start anew? Any advice is welcome.

 

[LRH97]

I range my birds so the way I do it is I just keep them in separate coops and let them range together for about a week to a week and a half, and if there are no major problems I stick the new birds into the bigger coop in the evening, so when the "older" chickens come back, they are already there. I also set out duplicates of everything (feeders, waterers, etc.) to reduce competition. It has worked for me each time. If you don't range, I would put the new birds in a place where the older ones can see them, that way they can get used to them that way before you release them into the coop. I would do this for maybe a week or two, depending on how things go and the aggressiveness of your birds. I've never had to get rid of a certain chicken unless they are a threat to the rest of the birds. That usually only involves the roosters, but there are some nasty hens out there too! Good luck!

 

[3chickchicks]

I had mine so they could see each other but not touch for a day. Then at night, I slipped them inside the coop. The next day there was squabbling but it wasn't bad. My four birds have half an acre of space so the newbies had room to get away. Space is important.
I also had a separate feed and watering station so the newbies could still get food and water.
For some reason, a night introduction so that they wake up with the newbies seems to go better. There will still be some fighting. You just want to make sure everyone can get out of the way and keep space so the older birds won't feel "disrespected" by the new ones.

Mine acted like two separate flocks for a few weeks and slowly became one. Now they do community dust baths together, roost together, sunbathe together, etc.

 

[brianb88]

Ok, thanks for the responses. Only problem is mine will not be free ranging at least not at first and never all the time. The coop size is approximately 4' x 5' with an additional 4' x 16' run. They will be in each others company most of the time.

 

[CRussel]

We've tried several different methods over the last few years, but the night time introduction has been THE best. This last time, we brought four new girls back to join our two remaining hens, and took them in to the coop after dark and placed on the second roost. The next morning there was some minimal squabbling, but nothing serious. We gave them separate water and a central feeder. They stayed in the coop for the next several days, and then I let them out to range. At first they were two flocks, but by the middle of the fourth week, my wife came back from tucking them in for the night and reported that they were all six on the same roost, burbling away. Since then they have stayed together at night and it's now hard to tell which ones are the new ones.

 

[RoseZubal]

I was wondering about the introducing new chickens. I haven't got my new chicks yet and it would be a while before they are old enough to be with the hens and rooster. Any thoughts on introducing 3 new chicks and what age to introduce them to 3 hens and 1 rooster?

 

[Krischick]

I have just done this age of introduction was 6 weeks but only because of how cold it was I kept them seperate at night but let them run away from the older flock its working they will need a seperate roost lower to the ground and a light to huddle underwith straw they will do fine

I was wondering about the introducing new chickens. I haven't got my new chicks yet and it would be a while before they are old enough to be with the hens and rooster. Any thoughts on introducing 3 new chicks and what age to introduce them to 3 hens and 1 rooster?

 

[RoseZubal]

Ok I was wondering how it would work, thank you!

 

[cochin lover]

I think you should let them see each other through the wire, for a few days, then introduce them. if they fight, separate them and try another time. the best time to introduce hens is when the hens are getting ready to so to sleep, as they are more dosy.