Arizona Chickens

This is just my opinion and experience but when people ask me about adding chickens this is my suggestion. You should never try to add just one bird. There is power in numbers and since chickens are social animals, one chicken alone is just a target. I would add at least two and add them at the same time (buddy system). You want to choose birds that are of similar size at least. Personally I like them to be around the same age as well but not as important to me at size. The new chickens are at the bottom of the pecking order therefore if they decide to go hide their head in the corner they are basically dead meat. They must stand their ground in the flock. I would suggest that you add a treat that is the favorite of your current flock at the same time that you introduce your new birds. Something that they can not resist. Stand back where you can see them but not interfere. They are going to peck and chase and let it happen. If it becomes violent to the point that you feel you must interfere then I would suggest that you put the new birds inside a cage and place that cage inside your coop. This way the birds can see each other and not kill each other. Each day go and try again. Usually it will work without having to do the cage thing. If you try to add smaller birds than your flock you are probably going to find that you regret that decision. Again just my opinion.
 
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Nessa has good advice -

You may also want to:
Make sure to keep them separate for a quarantine time

Before putting them in together that first time, make sure they have been able to see & watch each for at least a week (either in a cage inside the run or in an adjacent pen).

Giving them a treat together, as Nessa says, is a good introduction.
If you let your chickens free-range in the backyard - the yard is also a good place to let them be together for the 1st time (not as enclosed).

Add an extra food & watering container - the original hens may be possessive of their food & water and you don't want to starve the newcomers.

No matter what you do, the hens are going to pick at the newcomers -I'm currently trying to introduce my younger flock of 7 (raised from chicks and now 16-20 weeks old) to my older flock of 11 (7-9 months old). They've been in adjacent pens for the entire 4 months and some of the older ones are still real meanies to the younger ones. They're not chasing the younger ones anymore, but they still try to keep the younger ones from eating the food. I have to go out there and make sure the younger ones are able to eat & drink (extra food dishes and I block them off for a portion of the day so they can eat & drink in peace (without trying to sneak a bite here and there).

It seems really hard at first, but they will eventually become good buddies. I have successfully introduced 3 younger chickens before - it took a while, but the two flocks did mesh as one.
 
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Thank you, sounds good to me. Maybe they should even be larger and older?
 
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Thank you, this forum is always the place to go for advice. I will get my brain thinking on these good approaches.
 
Well, it looks like all my hatching is done for a little while. Out of 26 Welsummer eggs I got 1 baby...
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But, I also now have 93 quail! 51 Jumbo Browns and 42 Texas A & Ms! They are sooo cute!!!!! I just thought I would share with you all....

Thanks for all the scorpion information. I did have one of my girls get hit by it when she grabbed it, but she scratched her face for a minute and has been fine ever since. I was a bit worried about her, but she pulled through like a champ. It is good to know I can give them Benadryl. Thanks again!

Have a great day!!!!
 
Good morning all! Sorry I haven't said hi lately...busybusy this weekend.

Currently I have three groups:

6 1-week-old Cuckoo Marans

1 4-week-old EE
4 5-week-old (2 OEGB, 2 Sizzle)

12 8-week-old various Mutts
1 9-12(?)-old week BO


I think it may be time to move the 5-week-ers in with the big kids. Currently they reside in the brooder with the CMs. Unfortunately, since 4 of 5 younins are bantys, they are still small. The remaining chick is a 4-week-old EE, who is beginning to tower over the bantys...but still tries to wedge itself in the banty's hiding place when I come change their water
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When I let the chickens free range, the big kids will occasionally pick on the little kids--- but not always. I watch them closely.

Space in the brooder is becomming a premuim....so maybe I will push for integration this weekend. The brooder is in the coop, so maybe I will use the "chickens can't count" technique, and sneak the youngins in while everyone is sleeping. Comments?
 
Go for it, Larissa! As long as you can sit and watch how things are going you should be fine. Plus, it is always easier to add more than one bird that way they have a buddy to hide with and to take some of the "heat" away from them. Just watch them closely and make sure that Big Brothers & Sisters are play nicely! You can also try to distract them with a yummy treat when you let them together for the first time. If the brooder is in the run, then it should be easy peasy!

Good luck!!!
 
When you add a group instead of just one it is basically like adding one giant chicken compared to one tiny single chicken. They are less likely to pick on what seems like one massive giant chicken. Wait did that make sense to you guys?
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It makes sense when I say it but reading it sounds like I am a loon.

Edited to ask: Do any of you folks out there own vulturine guinea fowl? As much as I hate guinea noise I am getting kinda obsessed with getting a couple just for me.
 
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Integrating them at that age shouldn't be too bad, but you should still watch them very closely. Hopefully, since they're still so young, they'll play nice. I think once the pullets grow up and establish their pecking order, that they don't want to let any newcomers in.
 
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What happened to the other welsummer eggs? Were they shipped eggs or did the incubator fail you?

A few months ago (my first hatching experience), I bought 10 eggs locally, but my broody messed up and only 1 chick made it (my splash orp). I had welsummer eggs in the mix also, but no chicks. Two weeks later, I purchased shipped eggs - 1 batch was all messed up from the P.O. and none even started to grow. The second batch did pretty well, but 4 out of the 6 that made it were cockerels.
 

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