Adding chicks to existing flock of big chickens

[Golden Comet Mama]

I was wondering what the best way to add a new chick to a flock of 5 chickens is. And I had some questions.

Will they peck her and hurt her?
Will they pick on her?


Please let me know!

 

[CoopBoots]

Yes, chickens are quite unwelcoming to new birds without a long introductory period and it can result in injuries and worse. You'll want to set up a look but no touch arrangement where they can see your new bird without harming it. You want them totally bored and uninterested in one another; can take several weeks or longer. By the time they all seem non-reactive to each other and they are allowed full contact, make sure there's as much space as possible (to evade bullying attempts), extra feed and water locations (so original birds can't guard all the resources and starve the newcomer), and lots of clutter to use for hiding and escape if things go south.

It is more difficult to introduce just one new bird as they will have no one else to split their negative attentions. I'd expect this to take more than a month, but all bird flocks are unique.

Best of luck!

 

[Golden Comet Mama]

Yes, chickens are quite unwelcoming to new birds without a long introductory period and it can result in injuries and worse. You'll want to set up a look but no touch arrangement where they can see your new bird without harming it. You want them totally bored and uninterested in one another; can take several weeks or longer. By the time they all seem non-reactive to each other and they are allowed full contact, make sure there's as much space as possible (to evade bullying attempts), extra feed and water locations (so original birds can't guard all the resources and starve the newcomer), and lots of clutter to use for hiding and escape if things go south.

It is more difficult to introduce just one new bird as they will have no one else to split their negative attentions. I'd expect this to take more than a month, but all bird flocks are unique.

Best of luck!

Thank you

 

[coach723]

How old is the chick, and how old are the other birds?
It's harder to integrate a single bird than it is to integrate a pair or a group. The newcomer is alone with no friends. I would take it slowly, give them plenty of time to get to know each other across fences.

 

[Golden Comet Mama]

The new chick we added was 6 and a half weeks and the other hens were 6 months and our rooster is a year and a half old

 

[coach723]

6 1/2 weeks is still fairly small, particularly with a roo in the mix. I would go slow and careful. Make sure space is adequate and there are places to hide behind (without being cornered). It all very much depends on the personalities and temperaments of the birds in question, but at that age and being the only one new, I would be patient and careful so that the chick isn't injured. Don't rush the 'look but don't touch' period.

 

[Golden Comet Mama]

6 1/2 weeks is still fairly small, particularly with a roo in the mix. I would go slow and careful. Make sure space is adequate and there are places to hide behind (without being cornered). It all very much depends on the personalities and temperaments of the birds in question, but at that age and being the only one new, I would be patient and careful so that the chick isn't injured. Don't rush the 'look but don't touch' period.

He is soooooooooo sweet our rooster

 

[Golden Comet Mama]

6 1/2 weeks is still fairly small, particularly with a roo in the mix. I would go slow and careful. Make sure space is adequate and there are places to hide behind (without being cornered). It all very much depends on the personalities and temperaments of the birds in question, but at that age and being the only one new, I would be patient and careful so that the chick isn't injured. Don't rush the 'look but don't touch' period.

Welllllll we have week old chicks waiting for the garage brooding box sooooo