adding to the flock

[SueMuffin]

Being new to the chicken thing I must ask this question. Can I add to my flock by just letting the new hens in with the 6 I aready have? Or do they need an introductory period before they will get along? How is this accomplished? I am building a bigger coop for winter and want to add to the flock so no one freezes this winter. Thanks for any advice.

 

[Dixiedoodle]

You will want to quaratine your new girls for about 30 days. During this time you can dust, worm and handle them (getting to know them and them to get to know you). Then after a month or so, I put my girls in a cage inside the coop and divided my run so they could see each other but could not hurt/peck/fight each other.. After two weeks, I started to free range them together...then I took out the cage inside the coop and left them together.. The new/younger girls are still very much afraid of everything but the big girls only peck them when they get too close to the chow!