Backwards "when to introduce"...

[andycowboy]

I have just moved 13 6-week-old Buckeyes into their own coop - and they'll have their own run very soon. Going to try my hand at small-level Buckeye raising - 12 hens, one rooster, Now here's the backwards part:

I have a lone Buckeye pullet 16 weeks old mixed in with 12 other mixed hens I'll be using for eggs only. Since the kids arrived th 2nd week of July, they've been in a brooder in the main coop, so babies and big girls have gotten used to each other. However, I'm not real sure when to introduce Maggie into the Buckeye Boudoir - although I'm pretty sure she'll take over as alpha hen. She's also about 3 times the size of the kids. Any suggestions on this backwards situation - when to introduce one older hen into 13 younger chicks?

Thanks to everyone who contributes in BYC - all the information is extremely helpful!!!! Have a great day, and God bless!

 

[outdoorsii]

Ya know, I'm really not sure, because we've had our 6 full grown hens for a while & most of them are pretty docile, but a few can be kinda bossy --- & we have 6 thirteen week old wyandottes we're going to introduce to them, & I'm not sure when would be a good time to do it, they are almost as big as my leghorn girl now, so I bet they could take care of themselves. I hear 16 wks was a good time to mix them.

 

[Den in Penn]

If she was an only hen I might do a limited play time together to see how she get along with the little ones. But shes not and has her own flock. Your planing a separate coop for the buckeyes right? So let them get to be about half her size in the buckeye coop then introduce her to their home. Separate her in a area in there for a few days to allow them to get acquainted. Then do the limited time to see how it goes.

 

[andycowboy]

If she was an only hen I might do a limited play time together to see how she get along with the little ones. But shes not and has her own flock. Your planing a separate coop for the buckeyes right? So let them get to be about half her size in the buckeye coop then introduce her to their home. Separate her in a area in there for a few days to allow them to get acquainted. Then do the limited time to see how it goes.

Thanks, Den! That's pretty much what I did yesterday. I found out about a man here in the area who had a 4-month-old BR roo he didn't want, so I decided to take him in - not with the Buckeyes, with the older girls (3 RIRs, 3 NHRs, 3 Ameracaunas, 3 BRs). So I went ahead and moved Maggie to the Buckeye Boudoir. The chicks had been in the main brooder all this time, inside the Mixed-Up Motel, so the Buckeye chicks and the older girls are all familiar with each other. Things went well - feel a little sorry for Maggie - she's kinda hanging out by herself for now. I checked at daybreak this morning - she was sitting on the new roost, and the most of the kids were on the floor nestled into the shavings - they haven't quite figured out the stepladder/roost setup, having just been moved out of the brooder 2 days ago. But everyone looked OK, so I'm watching closely the next few days - I don't anticipate a problem, based on initial reactions.

I then put the new rooster in with the big girls - as with the Buckeyes, I saw no immediate aggression, and everyone seemed to be just fine this morning. He was crowing, and the girls did their usual "run to the coop door" routine - I let them free-range every other day. Christian (my wife named him after 50 Shades of Gray) came to the coop door, made sure all the girls got out OK, then he joined them in the yard - such a gentleman! Again, watching closely, but all seems to be well.

Oh, here's the new "man of the house":​

Unfortunately, he looked away just as I took the pic - that's why his head looks so small! He measures about 18" tall, and 16" from beak to tail feathers. Big boy, but very friendly.
​

Thanks again for the input from everyone! Have a great day. and God bless!

 

[outdoorsii]

lol is that a vodka box LOL

 

[andycowboy]

lol is that a vodka box LOL

Yuppers - the birds seem to like Vodka - no noticeable evidence of drinking until they start weaving!

The wife is assistant manager at a local liquor store - that's the empty box I grabbed to use for trash a few days ago!