Adding chickens to flock

[chickentim]

Through a series of devastating incidents, our small 4-hen flock has been reduced to a smaller 1-hen flock. Our remaining hen certainly seems less active and lonely, and has been having egg production issues. We’re planning to introduce two more hens and had a couple questions to make sure it goes as smoothly as possible! I’ve done some reading online but everything seems to refer to larger flocks so am curious if anyone has experience with this smaller group dynamic.

Details: she’s a RIR, about 20-24mo old. Free range in our backyard. We’d be introducing two more RIR pullets.

We don’t really have space in the coop to add a separate section for the two new pullets, so am debating an accelerated process - spending half of day 1 with new pulleys in yard and veteran hen locked in coop, then letting them all physically integrate second half of day, with the hope that I can get them all into the coop together that night.

Any thoughts on how they might work or any suggestions? From what I read the concern is usually for the health of the new hens who might get bullied, but given our existing flock is only 1 bird I’m a bit worried about the opposite dynamic!

 

[3KillerBs]

We don’t really have space in the coop to add a separate section for the two new pullets, so am debating an accelerated process - spending half of day 1 with new pulleys in yard and veteran hen locked in coop, then letting them all physically integrate second half of day, with the hope that I can get them all into the coop together that night.

Welcome to BYC.

Leaving aside the question of quarantine, throwing birds together without a see-don't-touch period rarely has happy results.

How big is your coop? How big is your run? Photos?

I recommend these articles:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/introducing-new-chickens-using-the-“see-but-don’t-touch”-method.67839/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/adding-to-your-flock.47756/

 

[chickentim]

Welcome to BYC.

Leaving aside the question of quarantine, throwing birds together without a see-don't-touch period rarely has happy results.

How big is your coop? How big is your run? Photos?

I recommend these articles:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/introducing-new-chickens-using-the-“see-but-don’t-touch”-method.67839/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/adding-to-your-flock.47756/

Our current hen / set up is for free range in the backyard. We have a 4x8' coop.

From your reaction and what I've read, it sounds like the thing to do would be to go get some more hardware cloth and build a temporary cage elsewhere in the yard to leave the two new birds for a week or so.

If so, is the idea that they would stay in that temporary cage for the full quarantine / "see-don't-touch" period? I hate the idea of them staying trapped in a small space for so long.

Thanks

 

[3KillerBs]

Our current hen / set up is for free range in the backyard. We have a 4x8' coop.

From your reaction and what I've read, it sounds like the thing to do would be to go get some more hardware cloth and build a temporary cage elsewhere in the yard to leave the two new birds for a week or so.

If so, is the idea that they would stay in that temporary cage for the full quarantine / "see-don't-touch" period? I hate the idea of them staying trapped in a small space for so long.

Thanks

The quarantine part comes before the two flocks are exposed to one another -- making sure that you aren't bringing home a disease that will devastate your flock.

After that comes the see-don't-touch period of at least a week, preferably 2 weeks.

This is how I conducted the see-don't-touch with my Splits. I gambled on the quarantine because my friend who gave them to me had kept a completely closed flock and I didn't have the quarantine space -- but it was a gamble: https://www.backyardchickens.com/posts/24483513

 

[chickentim]

Got it. Think I'll need to put together a small temporary enclosure for them then and will quarantine first.

Thanks for all the help!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I came here to help, but @3KillerBs has covered it.

Good luck with your integration, @chickentim

 

[3KillerBs]

I came here to help, but @3KillerBs has covered it.

Good luck with your integration, @chickentim

Just repeating what I learned from @aart, @Ridgerunner, and others.

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

I am in the process of doing the look but don't touch. Four 21 weeks and two 9 week old. I let the older ones free range all day until 5 p.m., then bring them in their run. The littles are in their small run during the day, then I let the littles free range until dark. A side note...the littles are spending their time outside now as the were inside before this process.
I am a bit concerned about upsetting the older ones as they should be laying any day.