Adding new chickens to an existing flock

[Nicole01]

So your chicks are the same age as mine. When do you plan to integrate them all together?

I'm going to start adding them to the roost next week. I have total control over the light situation, so it shouldn't be too bad. The adults are still chasing them and the babies run away while outside free ranging. Hopefully by adding them to the roost at night will familiarize the adults with their chirping/sounds.

If my EE bullies them, she's going in the dog kennel. The young ones are not the same size yet, but they are bigger and not baby chicks. I'd like the barrier out as soon as I can. It's blocking my feeder.

 

[kcfuerst]

I only add new chicks to the flock when I have a broody hen. Newly hatched chicks put under mom in the night. Mom is a wonderful trainer and protector. Never have to worry about the little ones getting picked on. The big girls have learned not to mess with mom or her chicks unless they want their pecking order adjusted.

 

[Nicole01]

My young ones are actually getting along surprisingly well with the adults. They are all in the run together to my surprise. I have the run door open and the babies have the kennel to run into. Instead they are all together. This is the first time the adults are basically ignoring them. I'm thrilled too! Maybe tonight I'll start roosting the babies up top.

I haven't ever had a broody hen.

 

[n8ivetxn]

I have 3 10 week olds. A pair of Lemon Blue Cochins and Faverolles boy. They've been in a coop/run adjucent to the main coop/run for about a week now. Yesterday I was at home and able to let everyone free range together. The little ones went all through the main coop and run and decided to hang out in there most of the time.

A few days ago my Blue Copper Marans roo got a hold of the Faverolles boy and he squealed (I thought the big roo was going to try and mount him ): .... One the Ameracauna girls got the LBC male and held onto him, I thought he'd lose feathers....But, yesterday nobody was bothered.

I think this coming weekend I'll take the grown roo (SF) out of the main coop and put him in the little one, he's going to freezer camp for flogging me.....And, I'll put the 3 young ones in the main coop with everybody.

With no roos in there the only threat is the Ameraucana hen, she's a b****. I may have to take her out and kennel her for a few days.

 

[Alaura]

I have two hens and a roo that free-range. One of my hens went broody and hatched out four chicks. I put her and the chicks into a tractor coop which works out perfectly. However, she kicked out one of her chicks. Ive been keeping it indoors for now but i am worried about introducing it to the flock. It wont have the mother hen's protection. Should i take the mother out of the coop and put the chick in with the other chicks until they are big enough to put with my existing flock? Or should i keep the mother with the others and introduce the lone chick to the flock by itself?

 

[skitchner]

I have 11 birds (all about 8 weeks old). They moved into their coop and run about a week ago. I've recently located some locally that has some EE and I'd like to add two of them to the mix. His birds are the same age as mine and I was wondering if I can just put them in together or if that would be a mistake. Should I be concerned about disease as well? Thanks...I'm very new at this!!

Scott

 

[Searsmom]

I only buy day old chicks if I want "store boughten" chickens. They stay inside with me until they're about 6 weeks old and they they go in the pen in a special enclosed area. This amazing special area is a dog fence panel bent on one side and over the top, covered with 1" chicken wire. It fits under two next boxes and encloses a single nest so they have an enclosed place to sleep. There's an opening at the top that I cover with a board, this is how the fresh food and water goes in and out. I just have to don gloves and remove straw by hand to give them fresh bedding. It's only about a 5x3 area. But by the time they're thinking about flying out when I remove the board to change the water, the rest of the chickens take them for granted and most of the pecking order is complete. The "fence" gets pulled back outside the chicken house and after extensive clucking at the strange new look to the pen, all is well. Keep in mind I have extremely laid back Orpingtons who are higher on the pecking order than the Americanas. Temperament/Breed has a lot to do with how well they integrate.

 

[WOJO]

I have 5 Buff Oprintons, 2 Barred Plymouth Rocks, 1 white australop, 1 black Australop all 8 weeks old some hatched by me and other where ordered chicks but all the same age. I will be putting them in there 8X12 Coop in the next few weeks with a run size of 25x25. I just got 6 Cornish rock chicks and want to add them to the flock at or around 8 weeks from now which will make the others about 16 weeks. My question is will the 8 week old Rocks be old enough to fend for themselves when I integrate them all together?

 

[jkelch1]

Does anyone have any advice on introducing just one bird into an existing flock? I have been told it just isn't all that possible and that it is best to introduce at least three so they can form their own little cliche.

I recently lost one of my chicks at 4 weeks old and now I have one little barred rock that I'm not sure what to do with. If I had my way, I'd turn her into a house pet! HAHA! She's doing fine on her own, eating and everything, but I am super nervous about putting her out with the others when she is old enough.

I have been raising two ducklings that are about the same age along side her (right next to her but in their own "house"), but they're a whole other story!

Any advice or thoughts would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[Searsmom]

Does anyone have any advice on introducing just one bird into an existing flock? I have been told it just isn't all that possible and that it is best to introduce at least three so they can form their own little cliche.

I recently lost one of my chicks at 4 weeks old and now I have one little barred rock that I'm not sure what to do with. If I had my way, I'd turn her into a house pet! HAHA! She's doing fine on her own, eating and everything, but I am super nervous about putting her out with the others when she is old enough.

I have been raising two ducklings that are about the same age along side her (right next to her but in their own "house"), but they're a whole other story!

Any advice or thoughts would be greatly appreciated!!

I can tell you my experience - due to spur-of-the-moment planning, I raised 4 ducklings and 4 chicks in a brooder together. While they went their separate ways when water was found, as a group they had little difficulty entering the existing flock - mostly because they were in the same house from 4 weeks on separated only by a cage. They stayed in the house 2-3 weeks to be comfortable with it being home. That said, mine have the run of several acres and can get away from "bossies" during the day. I did have a hen that brooded two last year and lost one - that one having no siblings, never quite fit in even though it was only 3 weeks behind the other chicks.