Advice on Removing and Adding Large # of Flock Members

[Maeschak]

Hello All,

I have a flock of a little over two dozen chickens including 2 roosters in the mix. I am about to cull 25% of the current flock (dominant roo being one of them for at least 6 chickens to cull) and will be adding about 10 pullets.

My question is this: is it better for the flock to make the culls and add the pullets slowly (as in over a three week period) or try to remove and add to the flock more quickly (as in 2-3 days)? I have culled from the flock and added to the flock a number of times, but never at the same time and never in this quantity. I know it will be difficult for the flock either way but want to reduce stress as much as possible.

Part of me thinks doing it quickly might be best simply bc the ENTIRE flock will be put off balance and they can figure out pecking order almost from scratch pretty quickly.
The other part of me thinks that slowly exchanging the chickens will increase the length of time there is stress but will lower the stress level.

Any advice?

PS- the new pullets have been in a hoop coop out in the open to all of the older flock so they have been 'seeing' each other through hardware cloth for 4 weeks already... so no problem there.

 

[Mace Gill]

Yeah, I reckon it's gonna be a big upheaval. I say do it as quickly as possible. As soon as the pullets are old enough to mix in and hold their own, cull the birds, then add in the pullets. Better they sort out one big mess than a continuous stream of little messes.

 

[JedJackson]

I agree with Mace. You definitely should wait until the pullets are big enough to not be in danger of being killed. Introducing them all at once will afford them a lot more protection than if they were introduced 1 or 2 at a time. It's going to be stressful regardless of what you do so why not get it over with? That said, you will need to closely monitor the coop after this happens to make sure someone doesn't get a wound and get pecked to death. That's your biggest danger.

 

[Maeschak]

Yes, sounds like a plan- I will do it quick.
I guess I was more worried about the cull chickens 'slowly disappearing' while the new chicks get into the mix. (As in- simultaneously happening)
I think I will try butchering my cull chickens over two days and then maybe the third day put the new pullets in the adult coop. (My adult birds are pastured, but if there are new pullets being integrated into the night-time coop I let them out SUPER early in the morning so the little guys can run like hell if need be).

 

[JedJackson]

Great idea with letting them out super early. Good luck!

 

[Mrs. K]

Really I think it is best to do it all at once, on the same day of the culling, stick in the new birds that night. Every bird is upset, all pecking orders are up for grab, and it will settle down fairly quickly. I think you have a lot more problems in trying to add to a firmly established flock. At least it worked well for me. I find the more you mix it up for all of them the better.

 

[Maeschak]

Thanks for all of the input everyone!