Adding new chickens to the flock!

[FaithM]

Hello everyone! I will be getting 3 new chickens soon and I was wondering what the best way to introduce them to my existing flock would be. Would it be the absolute worst to just put them in the run with my 4 current bantams? My chickens are pretty easygoing, so I can't imagine them picking a fight with the newbies, but they've never met other chickens, so I'm not sure. I will probably be getting them during the day so putting them in the coop at night isn't really an option and I don't really have a way to section off my run.. Help please? Thanks so much!

 

[Mrs. K]

It is helpful that you are getting a similar number to your original flock. Size is important, are they the same size or nearly the same size. If not, that will be a problem, no matter how nice your chickens act now. Space is the next issue. You are nearly doubling your flock..... how much room do you have? In small flocks, even one too many birds can cause problems.

However, to your original question, yes you can just put them in there, it would be better to put them in after dark, but many times I just added them in the daylight.

You do need to be aware that you are not quarantining and that is a risk that the whole flock can become sick. With that small of flock, I don't generally worry about that, but I am rather picky about where I get my birds, for the most part. It does bother some people though.

Mrs K

 

[FaithM]

It is helpful that you are getting a similar number to your original flock. Size is important, are they the same size or nearly the same size. If not, that will be a problem, no matter how nice your chickens act now. Space is the next issue. You are nearly doubling your flock..... how much room do you have? In small flocks, even one too many birds can cause problems.

However, to your original question, yes you can just put them in there, it would be better to put them in after dark, but many times I just added them in the daylight.

You do need to be aware that you are not quarantining and that is a risk that the whole flock can become sick. With that small of flock, I don't generally worry about that, but I am rather picky about where I get my birds, for the most part. It does bother some people though.

Mrs K

Thanks for the reply! These ones will be the same size as mu current chickens, so that's not a problem and I do have enough space in both the run and coop. So it doesn't sound like I need to quarantine, but how long do people normally quarantine new chickens and is the reason to do this just to watch and see if the new ones show any symptoms of illness?

 

[Mrs. K]

To properly quarantine is to separate the birds by several hundred feet. Use separate feeder and waters, and anything to carry the feed and water. One should do the chores to one flock, come in, change clothes and SHOES, and go care for the second flock. This should be done for several weeks. This allows the birds to be inspected thoroughly, and also gives the birds time to show signs of disease if there is one.

Most backyard chicken keepers do not have the set up or the space to do quarantines. Some do an all out, and all in exchange, meaning that they totally replace an aging flock and start over. Some feel more comfortable adding chicks they themselves raise, with the idea that newly hatched chicks are not old enough to pick up a hidden disease. When chicks get sick, they tend to die quickly. Some will only take chickens from established places, or places that they can visually inspect.

Some people don't worry about it much and get birds from auctions and swaps. To me, this is the most dangerous of picking up diseases, as strange birds are exposed to each other, could easily go to the swap healthy, pick up some disease, and come down with it in your flock.

Many people think that separating the birds with a fence is quarantine, but it is not. Most chicken diseases are spread through the air. Most backyard set ups do not have the space to quarantine.

It is important to note, that when you add chickens, you are assuming a risk of bringing in a disease or parasites. Look the new birds over carefully. Inspect them close under their feathers, and their vents. If I had a very expensive flock, I would NOT ever add new birds, other than their own chicks. If I had a huge flock of 30+ birds, I would not risk it, if egg sales were a part of my income, I would not, but for the dozen of birds that I keep as a flock, many times I have added new birds.

Mrs K