Adding hens

[Ryan2016]

I have my own hens and I have the opportunity to pick up 7 barred rocks and 2 ameraucanas. They are a year old. I have 6 RIR's. The people just started a family so I guess they're keeping baby,lol. Anyways how well will this work. Do I just add them like "hey, they're living with you now" lol. I'm really worried about them fighting and the possiblity of death.

 

[Skipper81]

They will peck each other but don't intervene I just added 3 hens today it is pretty easy. Try to do it in a neutral location like free ranging or outside of pen.
Always good to add more than one to confuse them or break up the pecking a bit. I usually add a new item now too which I read on BYC and it really works. I just used a milk crate and put hay in it as a nesting box. They girls were doing the pecking order but wanted to get it done quick to check out the new item. They will peck less and less everyday for a week or so. It can sound loud and like someone's getting hurt but no one will be hurt. Good luck and make sure the new girls have room to run away at first to show there submission

 

[Frazzemrat1]

When I integrated my younger chicks, who are about 4 weeks behind me older chickens, I kept them in two different parts of my run with a fence separating for about 4 weeks. I used a dog kennel as a coop. Once they outgrew it, and were only a little smaller than the older girls I just opened the door. There was some pecking and establishing, but now they're fully integrated.
The second set I integrated was my two hamburgs. I meant to separate them like I did the younger pullets, but the day I got them they got loose in with the girls. They are fast as all get out, so they avoided most of the trouble, although once they found the coop they did hang out in there for the first week or so. Now, my silver hamburg is up near the top of the order (in a flock with birds two to two an a half times her size), the gold is still near the bottom.

ETA... .I'm not saying don't quarantine... please always quarantine. I screwed up adding my hamburgs in the way that I did, but I was lucky as they didn't bring anything to my flock and everybody is healthy. I was just pointing out that there was still scuffles.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I would expect a lot of fighting if you just plunk them in.

Are they healthy? No mites, no lice, legs looking good?

Birds being moved can bring out all kinds of diseases they carry but aren't showing in their original home.

How big is our coop? How big is your run? Is there tons of extra space?
Adding 9 to your 6 you'll need a coop that is at least 60sq ft. An 8x8 would be 64sq ft.
Bigger than that would be better as they are bound to have some squabbles.
Your run space needs to be at least 150sq ft for the 15 birds.

Can you quarantine the new birds?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...nderestimated-part-of-raising-chickens.67097/

After making certain they are healthy I would recommend housing them next to but separate from your existing flock for a few weeks before a face to face interaction happens.


I and many others simply won't add started birds due to the risks.

Best of luck.

 

[Sublight]

Quarantine, Quarantine, Quarantine for a month.
Don't do this close to the pen. Give them space, just in case they have some funk.

Then after a month, bring them to the pen and let them look, but not touch for at least a few days. Then introduce and let them sort it out themselves. They wont kill each other, remember all the girls have is a beak.

Unless you see blood, then do nothing. They will work it out.

 

[aart]

Good points above about quarantine, pests, diseases, pecking order....
..... and especially coop/run size. Nothing worse, for both birds and keepers, than trying to integrate into a crowded space.

Here's my notes on the subject........

Consider biological/medical quarantine:
BYC Medical Quarantine Article
BYC 'quarantine' search

Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

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.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

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 copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, 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 for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

This used to be a better search, new format has reduced it's efficacy, but still:
Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, BUT some info is outdated IMO:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock