Adding new chickens to old flock.

[jmass]

I started my flock about 1 1/2 weeks ago with 2 game fowl and 4 EE. Yesterday I bought 3 NHR and added them . The three NHR's are being chased and picked on by the other chickens and staying in the nesting boxes most of the time. Will they eventually work this out or do I need to do something different? These are all hens.

 

[peeps7]

I would put your new hens at night when all the chickens are roosing and then when they get up in the morning it's just like they were always there.

 

[Lunachick]

What about quarantining? I always hear alot of flack about that.

 

[jmass]

Peep7, I put them in at dark when I got them on tuesday. When I checked on them this morning all of the NHR's are still in the nesting boxes (that is where all of the chickens are roosting at for now, they were all born this spring) and the others are out roaming around the pen. Do you think they will work out the pecking order? Or do I need to do something different?

 

[Queen of the Lilliputians]

With time and crossed fingers

your flock should eventually integrate. Personally, though, I like to give everyone plenty of "see but no touching" time, with new guys in a portable run nearby. I know others have had good success with the "introduce after everyone is in bed" method, also.

That said, in the future you might really want to quaranteen <sorry.. sp off> new birds. Better than having the entire flock keel over because of something someone new brought in.

Good luck with your birds.

-Meghan

 

[davecash]

well my orig flock, 5 golden comet hens, 1 rir roo and a buff orp chased 3 polish that i put in there with them until they killed the poor golden laced pullet. she was so young and pretty.. i think it was because of the dang feathers on their head.. so i put the polish/showbirds in a seperate coop than the egg laying machines.. hopefully whne i get more egg laying chickens i will put them in there with the orig. flock and hope that it works.

 

[Dawn419]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=12751

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Davecash, sorry about your Polish. i tried raising my EE with a WCB Polish, and they became friends. But the crest was so fascinating to my EE that i would constantly find her standing over him and pulling them out while he sat there perplexed. He had to be rehomed before she inadvertantly killed him. For this reason, i may very well need to keep my silkies seperated from my EEs forever.

 

[jmass]

ALL OF OUR NHR ARE BEING CHASED BY 6OTHER CHICKINS

 

[Chatychick]

I had to put my silkies and WCB polish together as the other chickens were being mean to them and they were all raised from day 1 together but as they aged the others didnt get along. Now the silkies and polish do fine together. I also trimmed the polish's feathers off their heads and they are not as timmid as they used to be.