2 New Gals to Integrate

[BirdsInParadise]

Hi, y'all!!!
So, I picked up 2 six-seven month old (mixed and a Production Red) hens today to replace my 2 deceased wheaten marans.
I'm going to integrate them with my 5 month old Buff Orp and BLRW hens. They are in separate runs with chicken wire between them so they can see each other and what have you.
I was reading that the temperament of all these breeds are fairly docile.
Any warnings about simply letting them mingle face to face, sans wire, right off the bat?
Any advice, ideas, warnings, etc. will be greatly appreciated!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

... I picked up 2 six-seven month old copper maran hens today to replace my 2 deceased wheaten marans... I... [want]... to integrate them with my 5 month old Buff Orp and BLRW hens... They are in separate runs with chicken wire between them so they can see each other... Any warnings about simply letting them mingle face to face... right off the bat?...

You can try to integrate them all at once, but you may should be on hand to intervene if there is trouble.

 

[BirdsInParadise]

You can try to integrate them all at once, but you may should be on hand to intervene if there is trouble.

Thank you!

 

[aart]

Any warnings about simply letting them mingle face to face, sans wire, right off the bat?
Any advice, ideas, warnings, etc. will be greatly appreciated!

How big is your coop and run, in feet by feet?
Tight space may lead to more aggression and bloodshed.
If you free range, you really want to keep the new birds confined for a couple weeks to 'home' to their new place or they may take off and not return.
One warning is that you ought to check new birds over very carefully for external parasites asap and treat them if needed before allowing physical contact with your existing birds.

Here's some tips and tricks on.....
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.

 

[BirdsInParadise]

How big is your coop and run, in feet by feet?
Tight space may lead to more aggression and bloodshed.
If you free range, you really want to keep the new birds confined for a couple weeks to 'home' to their new place or they may take off and not return.
One warning is that you ought to check new birds over very carefully for external parasites asap and treat them if needed before allowing physical contact with your existing birds.

Here's some tips and tricks on.....
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.

My coop is 4x5 and the run is 35x4.
The birds do get access to my yard (50x20).
I have 2 stations for water and food at opposite ends of the run.
Thanks for the information and assistance!

 

[Mrs. K]

What does the run look like? Is it an open, bare rectangle? Do you have hideouts, mini walls to break the line of sight, roosts and platforms?

Those can really help in integration, they allow birds to get away from each other. If you need to let the original girls out in the yard, set up the hideouts, let the new ones have some time there, and then just before dark, let the old ones in. They will all be wanting to go to roost.

I am not positive, but equal number, equal sizes are generally mostly bluff and a quick integration. Once in a while you will get a bird that will not let it go, but not generally.

Mrs K