Adding new pullet to flock HELP!!

[towen91]

Ok so I posted before but I don't think I have enough info. I'm really needing advice here folks. My flock consist of ONLY young (around 11 weeks and slightly younger) pullets. They are SLW if that helps. I have 2 pullets and a a cockerel. I do not have any fully mature hens or roosters. I brought 4 chicks home a little over a month ago and unfortunately lost one. So yesterday we got another pullet of the same breed and age and size to replace the one we lost. By the time we brought the new girl home the others were asleep. When I went out the next morning, I opened the door that connects the two coops and run, and the 2 existing pullets and cockerel ran in and saw the new pullet. There was no fighting that I saw, but I had to go to class so I was only there for a minute or 2. When I came home the 3 original birds were in the run, and the new pullet was hiding in the back of one of the 2 coops. To try to make things a little better. I separated them all. I put the 2 original pullets in the inside coop, and left the cockerel in the run and outside coop with the new pullet. There was some initial pecking from the cockerel but nothing too bad. This morning the new pullet and the cockerel were cuddled up together, and they woke and started eating and drinking together. At this point I decided to try to let them all free range together sense I figured the cockerel had accepted the new pullet and the numbers would be even. Welllllllllllllll that was not the case. The 2 original pullets (who are good buddies by the way) went after the new girl. The cockerel did attempt to separate them, but he had no luck and eventually just ignored the new pullet who had returned to the back of the coop and free ranged with the other 2. So I decided to keep the new girl safely in the run and outdoor coop away from the other 3. I was then given advice on here, that because there were all young, I needed to just let them work it out. And that the cockerel had to learn to manage the girls. Is this true? Do I need to keep them all apart for a while? Or do I just need to let them all work it out? As of right now they are all together. The new girl is just keeping to herself for the most part. Their names by the way are Blue (cockerel) Charlie, Delta (original 2 pullets) and Echo (new pullet) bonus points to anyone who knows where these names came from haha. Thanks in advance for any advice!!!!

 

[Mutt Farm]

Hi! I'm certainly no expert but have introduced new to old and different age groups more than a few times. Couple things I do, here's an article about see but don't touch. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/introducing-new-chickens-using-the-see-but-don-t-touch-method I use a 4' wire dog playpen.
Throw some scratch or rolled oats, alfalfe leaves along the fence for them to share in close proximity.
When you do supervised visits (and for a while) If you'll have more than 1 feeder and waterer inside and out and use the scattered rolled oats or scratch as a distraction. When you do finally let her out, do it at bedtime. I'm not the best at this, but this method works quite well for me. Best of luck.

 

[Peeps61]

Hi - I can only say what works for me! I've integrated several flocks in the past, all successfully. I do the look, don't touch thing. The last flock I integrated was an older existing flock of 8 hens, 1 year to 3 years old, and 27 pullets that were hatched on June 29th, so that would make them around 13 weeks at this point. I had my older hens in one coop (big girl coop) and the chicks in the chicken tractor. The chicks could see the hens and vice versa, but they were not able to intermingle. I would free range the hens and they would visit through the wire. When the chicks were about 8 weeks old and able to get away from predators a bit better, I started to free range them. The big girls pretty much ignored them except if they happened to meet at one of my two waterers. The big girls let the little ones know they had precedence with a peck or two, but that has been it. They all range together and then return to their respective coops at night to roost. Some of the younger pullets have taken to roosting with the older girls, OR in the rafters of our barn, which is fine. They seem to stay up there all night, and are safe from predators. They join the flock when I let them out in the morning.

It's not nice, but you are going to have to let them work it out. Give your new girl plenty of hiding places and keep putting her out with the others. They will get it worked out. The rooster is young and he'll have to learn to manage the ladies. My older rooster would not allow mine to fight, while I had him. He was taken by a predator about a year ago, and frankly, I don't miss him much. He was mean. Pecking order being what it is, the new bird will find her place. Often, I don't add just one new bird - I get at least 2 so that they have a companion to be with while the integration is going on.

Good luck to you!

 

[towen91]

Hi - I can only say what works for me!  I've integrated several flocks in the past, all successfully.  I do the look, don't touch thing.  The last flock I integrated was an older existing flock of 8 hens, 1 year to 3 years old, and 27 pullets that were hatched on June 29th, so that would make them around 13 weeks at this point.  I had my older hens in one coop (big girl coop) and the chicks in the chicken tractor.  The chicks could see the hens and vice versa, but they were not able to intermingle. I would free range the hens and they would visit through the wire.  When the chicks were about 8 weeks old and able to get away from predators a bit better, I started to free range them.  The big girls pretty much ignored them except if they happened to meet at one of my two waterers.  The big girls let the little ones know they had precedence with a peck or two, but that has been it.  They all range together and then return to their respective coops at night to roost.  Some of the younger pullets have taken to roosting with the older girls, OR in the rafters of our barn, which is fine.  They seem to stay up there all night, and are safe from predators.  They join the flock when I let them out in the morning.

It's not nice, but you are going to have to let them work it out.  Give your new girl plenty of hiding places and keep putting her out with the others.  They will get it worked out.  The rooster is young and he'll have to learn to manage the ladies.  My older rooster would not allow mine to fight, while I had him. He was taken by a predator about a year ago, and frankly, I don't miss him much.  He was mean.  Pecking order being what it is, the new bird will find her place.  Often, I don't add just one new bird - I get at least 2 so that they have a companion to be with while the integration is going on.

Good luck to you!

Thank you so much for the advice! It's been impossible to find any information on integrating a new pullet into a flock of only other pullets with no mature hens or roosters. As of now they are 4 sleeping together. Hopefully after tonight they will all free range together tomorrow. The new pullet wouldn't come out today. It's sad because I can tell she wants to be around and interact with the others. The dang cockerel has no clue what he's doing. He's now just walking around pecking all 3 of them. The 2 original pullets let him have it pretty good tho. If he is responsible for the future generations of my flock, then I might be doomed!

 

[Peeps61]

Ha ha! You're not doomed - he's just young and he'll learn. What kind of cockerel is he? You will need to add a few more hens to your flock if he is an aggressive breeder, or your poor hens will have bare backs and be stressed from over-mating. If he's not sexually mature just yet, he won't be too much of a problem in that area. If he's pecking at them, he sounds like he's getting interested though.

If they are all roosting together peacefully, then that's a good sign. Hopefully, she'll come out with them tomorrow and range a bit.

 

[towen91]

Ha ha!  You're not doomed - he's just young and he'll learn.  What kind of cockerel is he?  You will need to add a few more hens to your flock if he is an aggressive breeder, or your poor hens will have bare backs and be stressed from over-mating.  If he's not sexually mature just yet, he won't be too much of a problem in that area.  If he's pecking at them, he sounds like he's getting interested though.

If they are all roosting together peacefully, then that's a good sign.  Hopefully, she'll come out with them tomorrow and range a bit.

my whole flock are Silver Laced Wyandotte's! The roo didn't start pecking any of them until the new girl came haha. Actually the larger of 2 original pullets is pretty much the boss. I wasn't aware until about a week ago that I even had a cockerel. They were all supposed to be female. Oh well I guess this hopefully means I can keep my own straight line of SLW!

 

[Peeps61]

Well, at least they'll be the same breed if you are able to hatch some chicks later on! I have four SLW, and they are all pullets. Two of them roost in the rafters of the barn, and the other two roost in the coop with the others. Interesting birds, very pretty!

 

[towen91]

Well, at least they'll be the same breed if you are able to hatch some chicks later on!  I have four SLW, and they are all pullets.  Two of them roost in the rafters of the barn, and the other two roost in the coop with the others.  Interesting birds, very pretty!

I would love to let them raise their own chicks in the future! Today was much better for my flock. I didn't let them free range today, because I was sleeping sense I work night shift. I noticed that for the most part my cockerel and the most dominant pullet were getting along just fine with her. The smallest pullet is still being mean, but I'm assuming at some point either the new girl will finally fight back or the pecking order will finally be realized and they can all just get along. The most difficult part is that when I let them all out to free range, the new pullet doesn't come and go like the others when I call to put them up. So they have all seemed a little confused! Thus causing me a headache letting them in and out!

 

[Peeps61]

It will all settle down soon, and the birds will get the idea. I was watching my younger flock today, and I heard a strangled crow. Sure enough, the Polish chick I got for free from McMurray turned out to be a rooster! Then, I saw him straighten up and let fly with a REAL crow! So far, he's not been the least bit aggressive - lets hope it stays that way!

 

[towen91]

Just wanted to give an update. As you all said, things have become peaceful again in my flock. All four of them now free range, sleep, and eat together! The two original pullets are still best buds, and never to far away from each other. The new pullet stays close to the roo, and I've even seen her pecking at his beak? Not in an aggressive way, looks more like an affectionate thing, or possibly grooming. I don't know but my guy seems to like it. Also I had a proud moment with my young roo as well. As I said earlier he was having a time controlling the girls haha. However in the last 2 days I have seen him posturing in a way that looks as if he's standing guard looking for danger. He has also started getting all of the girls back in the run before night time without be having to chase them in!!! And the biggest thing he did that impressed me was him standing up to my dog!! Although I have taken every precaution possible in introducing the new flock to my dogs, and both of my dogs are very well behaved; I was nervous to let the dogs around them while they were free ranging. Well for the last few days I have kept the dogs on leashes while my flock was out. They did well, so I started letting them out off leash but stood right next to everyone so I think having me there made everyone more relaxed and comfortable. Well just about an hour ago I let the flock out, and my dogs out. This time after staying with them all for a bit, I decided to go sit on the deck and watch them all. My smallest dog Ellie (Boston terrier) got a little curious and excited and ran towards the pullets. Out of nowhere, my cockerel ran straight towards the pup, all puffed up and wings a flapin! Ellie turned right around and ran behind me. Haha Blue (the cockerel) seemed to strut his stuff a little extra after that, and even did the wing flap thing to show is dominance. Couldn't be more proud of my flock, or my dogs for all of their good behavior! I might just make a good chicken dad yet!