Adding to the flock

[Lucy Lou]

We have 2 18 month old chickens. Can we add 2 new point of lay to them without problems?

 

[bobbi-j]

It depends on what you mean by "problems". If you're worried about parasites or disease problems, those can usually handled by properly quarantining your chickens. There are many good threads here on that, so I would suggest you do some research about that. If you're worried about fighting and establishing pecking order, I would say you can plan on it. Many people put them in pens side by side for a while so they can see but not touch each other, and it may help lessen that issue, but in my experience, there are still squabbles once they are physically together, to establish dominance. That's just what chickens do. Chicken society isn't always pretty and peaceful with everyone scratching and pecking side by side. It takes some time for that to happen.

 

[Lucy Lou]

Thank you for your information, it was the fighting I was concerned about and your suggestion of pens side by side is worth a try.

 

[Lucy Lou]

Well the information about moulting was very good indeed. We have fed our hens cat food every day for the past 2 weeks and they are both moulting and laying and the fine shells of the eggs have firmed up nicely. So thank you all for the great information

 

[TomandBarbara]

Cat food?

 

[Mrs. K]

If they are close to the same size, I would add them, but have some hideouts, roosts in the run. Places where birds can get away from each other.

Personally, I tend to think of it as plus and minuses, and if you can keep it close to zero, it is not bad.

Bigger birds, + x the # of older birds, so in your case = +2

Smaller birds, = -2

Established birds = +2

so you are 4 -2 = +2 to the older flock... some fracas is going to happen

but if you added 4 younger birds, then you would be at zero, and should have less problems, at least I have always had less problems.

Mrs K

 

[lesley assu]

If they are close to the same size, I would add them, but have some hideouts, roosts in the run. Places where birds can get away from each other.

Personally, I tend to think of it as plus and minuses, and if you can keep it close to zero, it is not bad.

Bigger birds, + x the # of older birds, so in your case = +2

Smaller birds, = -2

Established birds = +2

so you are 4 -2 = +2 to the older flock... some fracas is going to happen

but if you added 4 younger birds, then you would be at zero, and should have less problems, at least I have always had less problems.

Mrs K

 

[lesley assu]

Could you elaborate more on this equation?
Just to see if my math is right.
I have 2 bantam Cochin
3 established med. size hens
And added two larger redrocks
How does this add up?

 

[Mrs. K]

ok, it is not perfect, but it does give you some ideas

You have 5 established birds, so +5, they are smaller than the new ones, so no additional points

Adding two new comers, but they are bigger, so I am thinking -2, not -4, say -3.

This would give a slight advantage to the home front, but not much, and I would add with out a lot of worry.


Where you really see problems, is when people add a single bird or just a very few very small, very young birds...

Mrs K

 

[Lucy Lou]

Yes it seems that the Protien needed for growing new feathers after moulting is very high and it is likely hens will go off the lay as producing the high Protien eggs and growing feathers at once requires very high Protien food Cat food was one of those foods recommended it certainly worked as we are getting eggs every day while they are growing feathers. Also they love the cat food and for 2 hens we give them 200grams. We have also found that home brand has higher Protien than the more expensive brands. I was concerned that the eggs would taste like fish but it is not the case