I have 6 chickens that are 1 1/2 years old. I am getting 6 more who are 6 months old. What is the best way to integrate them into the flock?
The best way is to keep them in separate runs but with a common fence they can see each other through. It's what we've done with ours. They need to see each other so that they get used to one another. It doesn't take long. I've gone as little as a week. We went a little longer with guineas but same thing. What kind of room/coops/runs do you have? Best of luck to ya!
I have abig fenced in back yard, almost 1/2 acre. In it I have their coop with a fencec in run . I leave that gate open all the time so they have free range of my back yard. My coop is roughly 6 ×8. Even in the winter they are only in there at night
Ok, that's how we were set up in the beginning. Which is why I built a second coop. Again, the easiest way (on everyone involved) is to put them together but separate. We kept the new ones inside for a week while the girls went up to them and got used to them. When we let them out, it was no big deal. Everyone went about their business. How are you keeping them apart now? Can you fence off a small section for the new ones?
I was thinking of keeping the new ones in the run so they could get use to each other, just not sure what to do about night time
You might need another or a larger coop, would help in the future for integration/segregation. Here's some notes I've taken on integration that I found to be very helpful. See if any of them, or the links provided, might offer some tips that will assist you in your situation: Integration of new chickens to flock. Consider medical quarantine. 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. Integrating new birds of equal size works best. 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 blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down, 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 to hide out of line of sight and/or up and away from bully birds. Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration This is good place to start reading: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock
