Adding new hens

[Msmith717]

Hello all! Love this site. So much great info. I know there is much info on putting hens together. I have read a lot the last few weeks.
I have 3 -7 year old hens who are healthy and happy. And this past spring we bought 4 babies. We have been putting the babies in a separate fenced in area in close proximity of the old girls for about a month or more. I have had them free range together and they were fine. As long as the young ones didn't get to close to the old hens encloser.
We take the young ones into our garage at night time. They are about 17 weeks old now. I really need to get them together.
I do have a new straw bale I'm about to add. I was thinking... Would it beneficial to switch their locations for about a week, then introduce them together? Was thinking maybe the older hens wouldn't be so territorial if I pulled them from their coop? Or would it be better for all of them if I just put them together and let them peck it out? Thanks for any advice you might have.
They have a 4x4 coop that they only want to use for laying eggs. They sleep on their perch at night. They are completely fenced in underneath my deck and do get out to free range as often as I can get them out. Their fenced in area is prob 12x12 or so. Luckily we have never had issues with predators so it's ok if they prefer to sleep outside of their coop.

 

[Msmith717]

Hello all! Love this site. So much great info. I know there is much info on putting hens together. I have read a lot the last few weeks.
I have 3 -7 year old hens who are healthy and happy. And this past spring we bought 4 babies. We have been putting the babies in a separate fenced in area in close proximity of the old girls for about a month or more. I have had them free range together and they were fine. As long as the young ones didn't get to close to the old hens encloser.
We take the young ones into our garage at night time. They are about 17 weeks old now. I really need to get them together.
I do have a new straw bale I'm about to add. I was thinking... Would it beneficial to switch their locations for about a week, then introduce them together? Was thinking maybe the older hens wouldn't be so territorial if I pulled them from their coop? Or would it be better for all of them if I just put them together and let them peck it out? Thanks for any advice you might have.
They have a 4x4 coop that they only want to use for laying eggs. They sleep on their perch at night. They are completely fenced in underneath my deck and do get out to free range as often as I can get them out. Their fenced in area is prob 12x12 or so. Luckily we have never had issues with predators so it's ok if they prefer to sleep outside of their coop.

I do have plans to build a new coop. Just haven't gotten that far yet.

 

[sourland]

I would put the pullets in the older bird's pen - removing the older birds first. I would allow them several days to adapt and then add the older birds one at a time of a period of days starting with the least aggressive of the older birds. Good luck.

 

[CluckerFamily]

When I integrate new residents, I keep them separate but within the same coop and run until everyone is acquainted.

 

[MrFluffyandGirls]

It also helps to add barriers, extra perches, have two feeding stations and waters so they can hide and not have to compete so hard and have a place to get away from the aggressor.

 

[aart]

I would put the pullets in the older bird's pen - removing the older birds first. I would allow them several days to adapt and then add the older birds one at a time of a period of days starting with the least aggressive of the older birds. Good luck.

This is probably your best bet considering the small spaces you have.

When is the bigger coop happening?

These might help, tips about.....
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/