Advice on integrating a Polish and Cream Legbar to older flock?

[ciera]

Our two youngest pullets (a Polish and a Cream Legbar) are about ready to join the rest of our flock. We've integrated a batch before, but there were 8 of them and we had only 4 older chickens so the integration was pretty smooth. However, this time we only have 2 pullets to introduce, and now there are 8 chickens and 2 roosters to deal with.

The pullets are 13 weeks old now, and have been living in a small run with a separate coop alongside our main enclosure with the older flock. They've been eyeballing each other through the fence for about a month now, and have been let out into the run together for twenty minutes at a time at different times. We'd leave them in their separate run for another month or two if we could, but our broody has a nest of eggs that are set to hatch this week, so she and her babies will need the separate run.

The Cream Legbar has grown tremendously, and she looks about ready to enter the flock. She can also run super fast and is a great flyer, so I believe she could hold her own. However, I'm worried about our Polish. She's a very little thing, and she can't see that well (on account of her huge head of feathers) and she's afraid of everything; she spends most of her time following her Cream Legbar partner around. I'm afraid she won't be able to escape from the older hens, or be able to see enough to escape from the older hens, and I'm afraid they'll pull out all of her head feathers.

Any suggestions for integrating 2 pullets into an older flock? Particularly any advice on introducing a Polish? Any advice is appreciated!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Introducing a single polish can sometimes go really bad. If your older birds aren't used to a crested bird they could try pecking her in it, especially if she acts a bit odd like many polish do.

I would do mingling when I'm around and separate them when I'm not for a while to see how she's being treated. If you see too much aggression or attention towards the polish you may need to keep her separately for her own good. Every flock is different, so see how it goes.

Are both those roosters in with the hens? Generally hens will end up over mated at that ratio, unless they are more sedate lazy roosters.

 

[ciera]

Introducing a single polish can sometimes go really bad. If your older birds aren't used to a crested bird they could try pecking her in it, especially if she acts a bit odd like many polish do.

I would do mingling when I'm around and separate them when I'm not for a while to see how she's being treated. If you see too much aggression or attention towards the polish you may need to keep her separately for her own good. Every flock is different, so see how it goes.

Are both those roosters in with the hens? Generally hens will end up over mated at that ratio, unless they are more sedate lazy roosters.

Thanks for that advice; I'll try it and hopefully they won't give her too much trouble!

Yes, both roosters are in with the hens, but there is a definite alpha and a definite beta. The alpha is the one who mates with the hens, but the beta rooster won't touch them. He's very submissive, and is pretty far down the totem pole. He spends most of his day laying in the dirt and eating to be honest. He gets along fine with our alpha rooster and the other hens, but so far hasn't shown any inclination in mating at all.