confused about introducing new chickens to exhisting flock

Alicia

In the Brooder
10 Years
Jun 11, 2009
36
0
22
I currently have 5 random-breed chickens that are about 2 months old. We got them newly hatched. I have no idea what they are, but here is what I think they are :
1 white leg horn?
1 speckled ?
1 buff orpington ?
2 who are black with green in their feathers when the sun hits them. ?

I will be adding several birds to my existing flock who are 1 month old and couple who are 3-1/2 months old right now. I will be getting them today.
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They are coming from a breeder. Some, the white leg horns, were hatched by her ( the 3-1/2 month olds) and 2 Easter eggers and 2 BLRWs were purchased for her breeding program from a large hatchery (the 4 week olds)

The breeder told me I can add them all together right away but to introduce them at night and keep a close eye on them for fighting and for a couple weeks after they are first introduced to use ocytetracycaline in their water.

This is ideal for me, as I have very limited room to store chickens separately, but on the other hand, I don't want any of my girls to get sick if there is a risk.
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I have read the page on introducing and of course, it starts out to keep them separated for at least 4 weeks, but it sounds as if that applies to chicken's you save from an unknown source.....not someone who breeds or gets their breeding stock from a large hatchery.
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Here are my questions:

1. If the chickens come from a hatchery or breeder, are they safe to combine with my girls right away or maybe after a day of short introduction where they can see but not touch and then combine in the hen house at night?

2. Are these chickens close enough in age to combine fairly safely? The 3-1/2 month olds are the ones I am the most worried about. They are white leg horns. The 1-month old babies are easter eggers and BLRWs.

3. What methods/ of combining have you found to be the most effective and do you have any suggestions regarding the ages of the chickens and how to integrate everyone the safest way?


Thanks a bunch for helping me!
 
In my opinion, I would always quarrantine any new additions, not matter how good the source they came from. I just wouldn't want to take a chance on my existing flock getting ill or even the new additions getting ill. When I integrate new chickens into my existing flock, I try to make sure they are somewhat close in size to minimize smaller birds being picked on. I don't have a lot of coop space either but I have an extra large wire dog kennel that I keep in my shed (shed is well lit and well vented) and put the new chickens in at night. This was, I have more control over predators since the dog kennel isn't really predator proof. During the day, I put the newbies in an exercise pen (again one for dogs purchased at at pet store) with food and water. Once the quarrantine period is up, I gradually move the newbies in their exercise pen closer and closer each day to the existing flock until the pens are butted up against one another. I will keep them this way for several days to a week before finally putting the newbies into the same run with the existing. I personally do this during the day so that am there in case there is fighting and it were to get bad. I have heard of a lot of people putting the newbies in together at night but have just never tried it that way myself. Good luck and congratulations!
 
Thanks so much for the advice. How long do you think I should quarantine?
 

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