Question about introducing new chicken to flock.

[chickenjoe]

I have 3 sexlink chickens a little less than a year old. At the end of January I hatched four BO chicks. The BO should be ready to go outside some time in march. I have two concerns. One is I live in upstate NY and in march the high temp avg around 40's and at night high 20's to low - mid 30's the coop has a heat lamp, would it still be too cold for the new chicks to go out. The other concern is how much fighting over pecking order might go on. The sexlinks I have aren't usually too aggressive.

 

[rhodiegal]

As long as the BO's are fully feathered, they will be fine outside. I assume you are talking about Buff Orpingtons - they have ALOT of fluffy feathering and are good and hardy for cold weather. It has always has helped us to introduce more than one chicken at a time to an existing flock (which it appears you will be doing). It really takes the heat off of any one chicken in particular. After about a week or so, they should begin to acclimate to their new positions. Just keep an eye on them for a while to make sure nobody is being singled out so much that they cannot get at food or water. You can put out a couple of feed/water areas for the time being until they are used to cohabitating.

 

[chickenjoe]

Quote:
thank for the info yes they Buff Orpington.

 

[captainmoose]

When I introduce new chickens to the flock I section off part of the coop with chicken wire. They can interact without any fighting. After a couple of weeks I take down the divider. I never had any fighting doing it this way, and the pecking order has pretty much been established through the wire.

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Here's a page from the BYC Learning Center about adding to your flock:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-adding-to-your-flock

 

[cobrien]

I do what captainmoose says, and I learned it on BYC. Also when I do let them mingle for the first time I do it when they can free range so there are less territoriality issues.

 

[Wesa]

You all can laugh but my black Austrolorp, Malia, has been head hen & momma since I first got my flock. Had 5 little bantys & then acquired her as a 'freebie' from Craigslist as a feral needing a home. Those bantys were just past needing a lamp & took to her immediately. 4 turned out to be roos so went to my friend in the country who gave me a small black & white speckle hen, Maddy, about the size of the banty. Acquired 2 more freebies & no problem. When I acquired the last 2 which are very very large white Americanas there didn't seem to be a problem until bedtime. I had to go into the coop, put those girls in their place, physically placing them in a nest spot & then showed them Malia was in charge. Haven't had a problem since & they all look to her as head hen.

The little gray Americana banty, Abigail & her sidekick Maddy both do the Austrolorp squat when I approach. Each get picked up & loved or a tail rub that they love & off they go. Would wish everyone could have as loving a group as I have.