Adding new birds?

[The Mother Hen]

What is that?

Hi Chickies! A roost is a roosting bar, used for your hens to sleep on by standing on it It can comprise of long thick pieces of wood held with yarn or cording to keep it together. I suggest go to Google Search and check out something like "Chicken roosting bar" or something like that. The bar needs to accommodate your pen, the smaller the pen the smaller the roosting bar.

 

[ghostwolf211]

So when should I start putting my 6, 6 week old chicks in with my 6, 6 month old hens??...Should I be putting them in a wire cage in the coop at night with the hens??...Tonight it's getting down to 40 degrees here in PA but the days are still warm

 

[Joan71]

Thanks for your help! And yes, I put a large branch in the coop for them to perch on. Will they sleep on that?

Yes, they will be curious about the new object in their space. They will investigate, then 1 of them will fly up on it. The others will follow. They like sleeping on the roost as they can sleep next to each other and feel safe. When you need info on anything about chicks, just use the search space for this website, and you will have a list of threads, articles, etc come up to help you. Good luck. J

 

[alb9202]

Ghostwolf211- Have you thought about integrating them in a box or dog crate in the coop and turn a brooder on at night just for the little ones? Maybe setting the temp to 10+ degrees below what they are currently at, and move the lamp higher and higher each couple of nights to get them acclimated to the cool weather. Remember this is a fire hazard so it's important if you chose to do this ensure its secured safely. I think it helped my flock to utilize a wire dog crate for the simple fact they could interact safely, they might communicate, mine pecked each other a little through the crate.I have read NEVER introduce peeping chicks/pullets to a flock. Honestly I would hold off the final introduction as long as you possibly can. The bigger the bird the stronger they are. Sometimes allowing the small birds free range of the coop space while the others are separated in a run helps the little ones get acclimated to their surroundings. Good luck

 

[ghostwolf211]

TY...Right now they chicks are still in the house...During the day they are outside in a cage a couple feet away from the coop and run....I was guessing at around the 12 week mark or so to let them free range with the big ones a few times then hope they follow the big ones into the coop for the night....I let the bigger ones free range for about an hour each day right before it gets dark

 

[newbie32]

I am preparing to introduce 1 polish of 6weeks(same age as my flock) and 2 silkies that are 2 weeks. At such a young age does it matter if I just let them in? Also, do small chicks still need to be quarantined?

 

[alb9202]

Ghost wolf: my little ones don't roost or follow the rest of the flock when they free range :/ they are kind of their own little group. (Hopefully this changes pver time) I was missing a little one last night after everyone free ranged. The older ones were on their roost and the babies were roosting in the roost in the open crate in the coop. I looked around in the woods for the other baby, she had chose to roost in the woods. Luckly i found her. I hope yours comply more easily.

 

[dwgov]

I use a pen I've put together with a piece of plywood & some chicken wire. I use a piece of netting for the top. I get my chicks from a very reputable dealer & haven't had any problems with disease, knock wood. I put it in the corner of my coop. Once the chicks are fully feathered, I put them in a dog crate in the run during the day. The older flock members get a chance to get use to them. I slowly let them out with the bigger flock members and it takes some time for them to get use to the little ones. I keep a close eye on them because the older hens tend to chase them around. I have one that would not leave them alone. I think it was mostly curiosity. I would never add 1 chick by itself. The last time I added new members it was 5. I totally integrate them at about 5 weeks. The new hens still stick together, but they all get along ok. These are my newest members.

This is them when I let them free. About 5 weeks.

 

[jak2002003]

I am lucky with my chickens. They never mind when I add a new hen or two. Even when I add mature roosters I have little trouble. Maybe the Japanese Bantams are more docile than other breeds?

ALWAYS keep new chickens in a different cage or coop for at least 10 days before you add them to your older birds. This is to make sure the new ones are not sick and give diseases to you older birds. It also gives them time to settle down and get to know you and not be afraid of you (if they are not used to people).

When I add new hens I let my flock out to free range in the morning. Then I put the new hen into the main coop / run so she gets used to it and where the food and water are. Early evening - close to roosting time, I let my chickens back into the coop / run where they are fed. They are so busy eating and drinking and then looking to roosting spaces, that they don't bother the new hen(s) much.

In the morning I get up early to let them out to free range - they all seem to get on fine, just have a few minor squabbles over food or if the new one gets too close to any chicks and broody hens.

When they are free ranging the new ones can keep their distance and get into the main flock gradually without getting trapped in a corner and beaten up (which might happen if they are enclosed in a run). By the end of the day they all get alone like they have always lived together.

 

[suburbansharon]

I just started keeping chickens again after several years away from it. I had to figure out how to do this in a hurry, because my starter flock this time consisted of two year-old lavender Orpingtons who had been together from birth, and one died just two days after I brought them home. We have zero idea what the problem was, since it happened so fast and she seemed just fine when we first got her. I didn't even have time to diagnose what was going on before it was too late. Anyway, her sister, Ethel, remained healthy as a horse, but was lonely and as soon as the danger period passed we knew we needed to add a couple of birds, pronto.

We went the route of two four month old Rhode Island Red pullets, since Ethel is huge. We figured two birds would make the young 'uns braver, and make Ethel less likely to take them both on. We have a small starter coop, so I raided our scrap wood pile, made a trip to Home Depot for the roof material, and built what I affectionately refer to as "The Hen Pen". I cut away part of the wire on the coop itself, made a tiny side door I could open to slide in a partition, and this allowed the new girls to socialize with Ethel without being able to get to each other. After just a couple of days, when it was clear no feathers were flying, I removed the partition later in the evening just before bedtime, making sure to stick around and watch what was going to happen. We are going to be fencing off the entire backside of our house next year, to allow for a large free-run area for the girls. I plan on adding several birds to the flock at that time, so this setup will so useful when I bring the newbies in. They can all get to know each other without fear of carnage. Good luck!