Adding an older pullet to a flock of young pullets

[Sassy13]

Hello,

We are new to raising backyard chickens.Our 5 pullets are 11-9 weeks old right now. The breeds are Welsummer, Brahma, BO, Australorp, Cuckoo Maran. All of 5 of them are now trained to go in their coop at night and they all seem to get along very well. I think my welsummer is at the top of the pecking order and I can't figure out who is at the bottom yet. It is either the BO or the maran.

However, one of my friends, who started her flock in May, got all 9 out of 10 pullets taken by coyotes last night. She is really distraught and wants to give me her one lone pullet as we already have younger chicks. She is 15 weeks old. I am not sure what is her breed, either she is a BO or a salmon Faverolle, will know more this evening.

I want to take in the chicken, but i am not sure if it is a good idea as she is older. How do I go about doing that?
I know we must quarantine her for sometime.

 

[Cupcake1243]

Hello,

We are new to raising backyard chickens.Our 5 pullets are 11-9 weeks old right now. The breeds are Welsummer, Brahma, BO, Australorp, Cuckoo Maran. All of 5 of them are now trained to go in their coop at night and they all seem to get along very well. I think my welsummer is at the top of the pecking order and I can't figure out who is at the bottom yet. It is either the BO or the maran.

However, one of my friends, who started her flock in May, got all 9 out of 10 pullets taken by coyotes last night. She is really distraught and wants to give me her one lone pullet as we already have younger chicks. She is 15 weeks old. I am not sure what is her breed, either she is a BO or a salmon Faverolle, will know more this evening.

I want to take in the chicken, but i am not sure if it is a good idea as she is older. How do I go about doing that?
I know we must quarantine her for sometime.

Go about it as you would with introducing any chicken to a new flock. Quarantine then keep in a separate place where they can still see the flock and the flock can see them eg. A crate and after about a week take them out to join the flock and they should accept them as part of the flock and establish them in their pecking order.

 

[Sassy13]

Thank you! I will try to find a big dog crate for the same. I saw quite a few threads here on the same topic. All good info.

 

[NatJ]

Quarantine--good idea if you can manage it. But it is stressful for the one lonesome bird, and it is very hard to keep a chicken isolated enough that no diseases can pass from that bird to your flock.

Introduction--with one of her (older) and five of them (younger), I think you can just put her in the pen with the rest. Do watch to see how it goes, and be prepared to set up a look-no-touch situation if needed, but I do not think you will need it.

 

[Sassy13]

Yeah, that's my worry too. As she is the only one, she must be stressed about the whole situation from last night and now introducing her to a new place with new birds. I just want to make sure she is comfortable, but also concerned about the safety and well being of my flock.