Arizona Chickens

[NuggetMama]

I have questions.

1) Two flocks of three. Which is the best way to integrate them?

2) I was thinking of placing their runs together so they have to co-habitate but cannot touch each other. Is that a good idea?

3) When should I let them actually be around each other? For how long?

4) Should I worry with two big buffs, one RIR, one Barred and two EE’s?

 

[BlueBaby]

I have questions.

1) Two flocks of three. Which is the best way to integrate them?

2) I was thinking of placing their runs together so they have to co-habitate but cannot touch each other. Is that a good idea?

3) When should I let them actually be around each other? For how long?

4) Should I worry with two big buffs, one RIR, one Barred and two EE’s?

How old are the chicken's in each of those 2 flock's? I would do the #2 that you listed above first.

 

[NuggetMama]

How old are the chicken's in each of those 2 flock's? I would do the #2 that you listed above first.

Both are over 2yrs old. We got them exactly 4 months apart. We tried to introduce when younger but we got meanie buffs that like to throw their weight around.

Everywhere I read it says buffs are so kind and gentle and don’t bully lmao well my two like to say they are big and fluffy so get out their way.

 

[BlueBaby]

Both are over 2yrs old. We got them exactly 4 months apart. We tried to introduce when younger but we got meanie buffs that like to throw their weight around.

Everywhere I read it says buffs are so kind and gentle and don’t bully lmao well my two like to say they are big and fluffy so get out their way.

Maybe you should put the 2 mean ones in a cage by themselves and put the other ones together in the other pen to get to know each other. Then after a week or two, you could put the mean girls back in with the other one's to see how they do. The 2 mean girl's will most likely have lost the head pecking order by then, maybe.

 

[NuggetMama]

Maybe you should put the 2 mean ones in a cage by themselves and put the other ones together in the other pen to get to know each other. Then after a week or two, you could put the mean girls back in with the other one's to see how they do. The 2 mean girl's will most likely have lost the head pecking order by then, maybe.

Oooo okay. My barred rock is tiny she is half the size of the buffs and tries to pick a fight with them because in her flock she is head bird. My RIR is just a loud mouth just like my EE’s.

( We give each flock time out in a bigger area to forage in but want them to forage together instead of having two tiny flocks until we can work out one big flock )

 

[Happy Novogens]

Both are over 2yrs old. We got them exactly 4 months apart. We tried to introduce when younger but we got meanie buffs that like to throw their weight around.

Everywhere I read it says buffs are so kind and gentle and don’t bully lmao well my two like to say they are big and fluffy so get out their way.

I'm fairly new with chickens too but maybe it will help to hear what I did. I had a flock of 4 hens established in their run/coop for over 6 months. Then I wanted to add 2 more hens and a rooster (from @BlueBaby ). I followed the advice I received and created a separate pen area within the main run for the 3 newbies. This allowed them to get acquainted without touching (as @BlueBaby suggested).

Photo shows this setup. They only remained separated like that for a few days and then they were let out in the main run. There was definitely some dominance sorting going on but nothing too aggressive. That was mid February. By March they were getting along as one flock.

The 3 newer ones do tend to hang together as buddies (not always). That didn't surprise me though. I had gotten my original flock of 5 (one died) on the same day from two separate places. So even though they had all gone into my new run at the same time (as young pullets), the 2 from one source generally stuck together as did the three from the other source.

Are you hoping to combine your two runs eventually into one larger run (if that's even possible with your setup)?

 

[NuggetMama]

I'm fairly new with chickens too but maybe it will help to hear what I did. I had a flock of 4 hens established in their run/coop for over 6 months. Then I wanted to add 2 more hens and a rooster (from @BlueBaby ). I followed the advice I received and created a separate pen area within the main run for the 3 newbies. This allowed them to get acquainted without touching (as @BlueBaby suggested).

Photo shows this setup. They only remained separated like that for a few days and then they were let out in the main run. There was definitely some dominance sorting going on but nothing too aggressive. That was mid February. By March they were getting along as one flock.

The 3 newer ones do tend to hang together as buddies (not always). That didn't surprise me though. I had gotten my original flock of 5 (one died) on the same day from two separate places. So even though they had all gone into my new run at the same time (as young pullets), the 2 from one source generally stuck together as did the three from the other source.

Are you hoping to combine your two runs eventually into one larger run (if that's even possible with your setup)?View attachment 3476031View attachment 3476034

We are making a really large chicken area on the side of the house for the girls and new babies once they are old enough to go to a grow out pen. So yeah I would like to combine them all because we have them in separate small runs and their coops.

To me it’s no way to live. I want them all together in a large area where they can forage together and feel safer than in two tiny flocks that want to just bump heads all the time.

Your set up looks so nice as a way to integrate. I don’t mind the whole dominance thing, I’m more worried about my feisty EE who attacked my rooster getting feisty with one of them big buffs and the big buffs just laying into her.

Our barred rock and one EE are the more dominate girls in one 3 hen flock and in the other 3 hen flock it’s our two buffs. So I know head butting is going to happen no matter what. We had our barred rock try to peck one of the buffs through their run once before and she snapped her beak in half . We don’t know if one of the girls did it or she caught it in the hardwire cloth. Either way it healed up and she still acts like it’s the buff’s fault

 

[Happy Novogens]

Yesterday I put the new chicks in the grow out pen for a couple hours. My Novogen stayed right nearby. (Photos from yesterday.)

Today I put them out again. Will bring them in for night time. My Novogen was back again keeping a close eye on them.

 

[BlueBaby]

Yesterday I put the new chicks in the grow out pen for a couple hours. My Novogen stayed right nearby. (Photos from yesterday.)

Today I put them out again. Will bring them in for night time. My Novogen was back again keeping a close eye on them.

It looks like thing's are working OK for you over there.

 

[NuggetMama]

Yesterday I put the new chicks in the grow out pen for a couple hours. My Novogen stayed right nearby. (Photos from yesterday.)

Today I put them out again. Will bring them in for night time. My Novogen was back again keeping a close eye on them.

That is so darn cute! I love how dedicated your Novogen is at watching the little intruders hahah