ADDING IN 4 NEW HENS & HOW DO YOU TELL THE AGE OF A CHICKEN

[lindalu]

WE HAVE HAD 5 GOLDEN COMETS FOR ABOUT 6 MOS, THEY WERE IN A PRODUCTION HOUSE AND WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW OLD THEY ARE. WE HAVE ONE ROOSTER. WE JUST BOUGHT 2 BARRED ROCKS & 2 RHODE ISLE REDS, YESTERDAY,WE ALSO HAVE NO IDEA HOW OLD THEY ARE. SO 2 QUESTIONS, HOW DO YOU TELL THE AGE OF A HEN & HOW DO YOU GET THEM TO "GET ALONG" WE KEPT THE NEW GIRLS IN TH LOT & LET THE OLD GROUP FREE RANGE YESTERDAY IN THE YARD, THE OLD HENS WOULD NOT GO INTO ROOST THE NEW ONES THIS MORNING WILL NOT COME OUT OF THE HOUSE TO THE LOT. WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP THEM GET ALONG? ALSO THE OLD GIRLS PECK AND CHEST SLAM THE NEW ONES.

 

[lindalu]

I am disappointed no one has answered.

 

[SpottedCrow]

Sometimes you can tell the age of a bird by looking at it's legs...the scales can be more rough looking on an older bird.
Another way of telling is to feel it's breast bone...in a young bird it's more flexible, and in an old one, it's stiffer...

The old girls are trying to show the newbies who's in charge...that's what the pecking order is all about...
First, did you quarantine the new birds? They should be kept away from each other for a month.
Next after the quarantine period, you can't just shove em all together and hope for the best. More birds get killed or wounded that way.
You would have to keep the new birds in a way that the old ones can see them and get used to them but not get at them...it may take a few weeks for everyone to get along and then you may have squabbles too...
Good luck with your new birds.

 

[ashyannehand]

I am a newbie so I am not sure how to tell young and old apart but I did want to say.....

 

[ticks]

Quarantine!

 

[lindalu]

Thanks everyone! We quarentined them today, day 3, it is hard to do with a small coop and not a big lot, the newbies are used to being inside all the time, they were brooders,so we left them in, made a make-shift shelter and laying boxes for the old gals, who hardly lay anymore, out in the lot and let every one free range in the evening, and they stay far away in their "clicks"from each other, then they all go to roost together, we will keep this up for a month as you all advise and hope it works!
Thanks again!

 

[The Chicken Lady]

This may seem kind of gross, but one way to guesstimate a hen's age is to look at her vent. A younger hen's vent will be pink and moist (because she's still at the age for laying eggs), and an older hen's vent will be more yellowed and drier (pretty much a spent hen). If you don't have any other information to go on, you could try that.

 

[lindalu]

Thanks everyone for the info and advice! I still am having trouble with the "pecking order", but i will keep trying.