Adding rooster and 2 hens to flock of 1?

[ACatWilson]

Hi all,
We had a very small flock of 2 hens, and sadly a stray dog got in our yard and got one of our chickens 4 days ago We’ve since taken precautions to better secure our yard, and have since found out a friend is moving and can’t keep her chickens. She’s offering to gift them to us, since my lone welsummer has seemed quite lonely being all by herself.
My question is, how do I introduce 2 new hens and a rooster to my one hen? It’d be easiest to put the 3 new ones in the coop and keep my welsummer separate while they get to know each other, but would this be really hard on her? Getting her sister taken away and then her coop? I suppose my other option would be to try to introduce my welsummer to the three new chickens one at a time?
Please let me know what you guys think! I’ve never introduced chickens before and am already feeling a bit sad for my one lone chicken...

 

[SueT]

Welcome to BYC! You are lucky to have the offer of the new chickens! I suggest you temporarily make a 'see-no-touch' set up. Give them a few days to get acquainted. See how they react... when you finally let them in together, have more than one feeder and waterer. And watch them carefully. They will have to work out a pecking order, but as long as there's no blood, let them figure it out. There are LOTS of threads on introducing newcomers, lots of good advice. Good luck!
Let us know how it goes...

 

[Ridgerunner]

If I were doing it I'd put the them all together and observe. I would not start out one at a time. Each time you add a chicken or take one away there is a possible disruption of the pecking order. Get it over with once if you can. It sounds like you still plan to let them use your yard so they have plenty of room. Do you have an enclosed run with the coop? I'd probably put them all in there together for a day or two, at least the first night and preferable more. That way they might learn to use the roosts and sleep in the coop instead of finding another place to sleep. And they are more likely to use the nests if the are locked in there for a while.

What I would expect to happen is that the rooster will mate with the single hen pretty quickly. She is then part of his flock. There may be a little pecking order stuff between the hens but probably pretty little. Still you need to observe. You are dealing with living animals and no one can guarantee what will actually happen.

I think this has a really good chance to work and will be simplest for you. If that hen is currently laying in a nest you want her to lay in you take a chance or disrupting that if she cannot get to the nest. I always want to try the easiest way first, especially when I think it has a great chance to work.

 

[ACatWilson]

Welcome to BYC! You are lucky to have the offer of the new chickens! I suggest you temporarily make a 'see-no-touch' set up. Give them a few days to get acquainted. See how they react... when you finally let them in together, have more than one feeder and waterer. And watch them carefully. They will have to work out a pecking order, but as long as there's no blood, let them figure it out. There are LOTS of threads on introducing newcomers, lots of good advice. Good luck!
Let us know how it goes...

Thank you! My question with your “see-no-touch” suggestion is what do I do with the coop when I lock them up at night? Just let them all in together? Or try to divide the coop? I can easily separate them while free ranging, just don’t know what to do about the sleeping arrangements.

 

[red horse ranch]

I agree with @Ridgerunner. Just put them all together and let them work it out.

 

[ACatWilson]

If I were doing it I'd put the them all together and observe. I would not start out one at a time. Each time you add a chicken or take one away there is a possible disruption of the pecking order. Get it over with once if you can. It sounds like you still plan to let them use your yard so they have plenty of room. Do you have an enclosed run with the coop? I'd probably put them all in there together for a day or two, at least the first night and preferable more. That way they might learn to use the roosts and sleep in the coop instead of finding another place to sleep. And they are more likely to use the nests if the are locked in there for a while.

What I would expect to happen is that the rooster will mate with the single hen pretty quickly. She is then part of his flock. There may be a little pecking order stuff between the hens but probably pretty little. Still you need to observe. You are dealing with living animals and no one can guarantee what will actually happen.

I think this has a really good chance to work and will be simplest for you. If that hen is currently laying in a nest you want her to lay in you take a chance or disrupting that if she cannot get to the nest. I always want to try the easiest way first, especially when I think it has a great chance to work.

This is very helpful, thank you! Hopefully the rooster will just get to work and solve the problem for us! My welsummer is somewhat flighty and was definitely more submissive than her sister, so I’m hoping she’ll just fall in place.
Same question though, do I just let them all sleep together in the same coop the first night? Assuming there isn’t any excessive bullying the first day?

 

[red horse ranch]

This is very helpful, thank you! Hopefully the rooster will just get to work and solve the problem for us! My welsummer is somewhat flighty and was definitely more submissive than her sister, so I’m hoping she’ll just fall in place.
Same question though, do I just let them all sleep together in the same coop the first night? Assuming there isn’t any excessive bullying the first day?

That's what I would do. You may have to herd the new ones into the coop the 1st night since they don't know where they are supposed to sleep.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I would but be out there at the break of dawn as they are waking up a open the pop door so she can get out if she needs to. I do that when I leave some locked up together for the first time. I usually only do that once or twice before I'm convinced I'm happy they will be OK together.

I've never had a problem doing this but each time is different. You can't get complacent. I really don't think you are going to have a big problem. Still being out there at the crack of dawn is good insurance.

 

[SueT]

Thank you! My question with your “see-no-touch” suggestion is what do I do with the coop when I lock them up at night? Just let them all in together? Or try to divide the coop? I can easily separate them while free ranging, just don’t know what to do about the sleeping arrangements.

I would go w all Ridgerunner's suggestions, then, this is one of the BYC pundits whose advice is always gold..
AND let us know how it goes!!!! Good luck~~~~

 

[ACatWilson]

I agree with @Ridgerunner. Just put them all together and let them work it out.

I would but be out there at the break of dawn as they are waking up a open the pop door so she can get out if she needs to. I do that when I leave some locked up together for the first time. I usually only do that once or twice before I'm convinced I'm happy they will be OK together.

I've never had a problem doing this but each time is different. You can't get complacent. I really don't think you are going to have a big problem. Still being out there at the crack of dawn is good insurance.

You guys rock, thanks for the tips! We get the new chickens in just a couple days and I will certainly give updates! Fingers crossed!!