Adding chickens to my current flock

[kirchmannchickens08]

I currently have 5 hens and one rooster...

I am not really sure on all of the breeds i have uploaded images of them.
I know that one hen is a RhodeIsland Red, 1 is an Easter Egger, but i am not sure what the Rooster is or the other 3 hens are.

I wanted to get some more chickens to add to my flock, do you think there will be a bunch of fighting for pecking order when i add more chickens???

Thanks for reading my post!

 

[rockin_chick32]

Pecking order and attacks is definately a major issue when introducing new chickens to a flock. Here is what we did:

First, we sectioned off an area of the coop with chicken wire and a cheep-o swinging door.

We then put the new chickens in there for about three weeks, and made sure they had their own trough and waterer filled every day. we made sure that it was suffitient area ( it says to use 1 square foot per bird, but we do about three). This way they can see eachother without being able to hurt eachother.

In three weeks or so, open the door and allow intergration. They will peck at eachother some, but stay in there for a few hours to make sure there are no complications. If there are some "problem birds", put them into the pen area and wait about a week and try again.

Intergration is a long process, but dont give up. Eventually everyone will be accepted!

 

[ibpboo]

Ditto on rockin_chick32 answer.

 

[DDRanch]

Ditto. And let me add patience. It's a lot of extra work, but well worth it in the long run and less stressful for your flock and you. There are quite a few threads on introducing new birds, do a "search" and you will find additional tips that may help you. If you have trouble with the search, PM me and I will help you.

Good luck.

 

[gkeesling]

I was wondering the same thing. this is good information
BTW. That black and white speckled chicken in your picture looks like my chickens and they are Plymouth Barr Rocks.

 

[kirchmannchickens08]

Thanks for the responses! I will look at those videos on youtube, i have also been reading some other peeps threads as well talking about the same things

 

[head4dmtns]

Sorry I don't have any tips for you....I looked at the thread because we're about to add more chickens to our flock too. Just wanted to say, you said you had one RIR hen.....you rooster looks like mine, and they're RIR too. I could be wrong, but that's my opinion. Good luck integrating!!

 

[jbowyer01]

I've added to my flock. I unfortunatly did not have the extra room for a seperate coop or run right next to each other to let them do the lets get acquainted thing. What I did do after the newcomers were quarantined for 30 days I waited until late evening and when everyone was roosting, I slide in the newcomers. They did well and the next morning they just fussed over the new pecking order (which will occur no matter what you do, theres always a head hen and the low man on the totem pole). I kept an eye on them for a couple of days and now they are one big family.

 

[Driftwood Coop]

I did something similar. Our chickens freely roam the backyard, so we first let the new chicks out in the yard with the established flock for a few days, then kept them in our mudroom at night. There was some curiosity, and some minor incidents. One night we put them all in the coop together, no separation. There was some fighting. In fact it went on for a few weeks.
They've now lived together for 5 months, and although they get along OK, they don't "hang out together." The old flock sticks together, and the new flock does too. Old habits die hard!

 

[Driftwood Coop]

I did something similar. Our chickens freely roam the backyard, so we first let the new chicks out in the yard with the established flock for a few days, then kept them in our mudroom at night. There was some curiosity, and some minor incidents. One night we put them all in the coop together, no separation. There was some fighting. In fact it went on for a few weeks.
They've now lived together for 5 months, and although they get along OK, they don't "hang out together." The old flock sticks together, and the new flock does too. Old habits die hard!
That rooster looks like either a New Hampshire Red (very aggressive!) or a Rhode Island Red (calmer).