Advice on adding 4 week old layers to an existing flock of 7 week old

[achickenhead]

any advice...

we are adding four birds to our flock.

thnks

 

[TexasVet]

Put them together at night, after it's dark and everybody is asleep. Works with grown chickens too, or when adding much younger chicks to an existing flock.

Kathy, Bellville TX
www.CountryChickens.com

 

[achickenhead]

Thanks Kathy,

You don't feel there is a need to quarantine for any period?

I guess they just wake up and don't notice the newbies? That is so funny.

 

[moonflowers]

You should definitely quarantine for 30 days if they are brand new chicks to you. (If you'd been raising them already for 4 weeks at your own home then they are already quarantined

).

I did an integration recently that was similar and after the quarantine period I let the babies out with the bigger ones for short periods of supervised time. You can also section off a part of the coop/run for them (make a divider with holes small enough that the babies can fit through but not the bigger ones). Many people suggest putting them on the roosts at night, which is how I did the final integration but that was after quarantine and introductions were over. Now my babies roost with the bigger girls. They are still certainly at the bottom of the pecking order and the other chickens pick on them a little, but they have never been truly hurt. This is a very scary time though as they could easily be killed by the older birds.
Good luck!

 

[achickenhead]

Thanks Moonflowers. I guess I should have went with my first instinct! My hubby insisted they would be fine without the quarantine.

Too late!!!! We didn't raise them but got them from another hobby farmer in our area.

We added them last night before I read your email and so far they seem to be doing fine.

The older ones seemed more scared of the little ones. They have about a three week age difference.

I will keep my fingers crossed. Live and learn!

I guess symptoms I should be watching for is anything respiratory or oozing from eyes, etc.