I have a GL Wyandotte, Black Austrolorp and Barred Rock. They are ~5 months old. I am picking up (2-3) 7 week old cochin bantams. I do plan on isolating them for a couple weeks to make sure they do not bring anything nasty to my ladies. Any suggestions for introduction, any tips for success would be appreciated.
What I've read here frequently is using a coop-in-a-coop. The new little guys are placed in a coop seperate from the others, but where all the chickens can see and hear each other. Once they are of comparable size, they begin to be introduced. I'm using the "panic room". My baby coop is inside the pen near the big coop. Slowly - like 15 min. today with me in there - the little ones can come out through an opening just big enough for them. They have, then a place to run and hide if they get picked on. Size seems to be more of a factor than age from what I've read. 7 weeks and 5 months is a huge difference. Your little guys stand a real good chance of being badly picked on if not seperated for a while IMO. Hope some of this helps!
I agree with everything you have said except about size. I have an older hen who is way smaller that everybody else. The chicks would grow to be way bigger that her and she would still chase them down and put them in their place. Quote:
