Bobwhite, introducing 2 flocks

[jeepster]

I have a large aviary where I Raise bobwhite quail. I hatched out a new generation earlier this spring and want to add them into the flock.

Does anyone have experience on doing this that they could share? I want to try to make it as smooth as possible and keep losses low.

Norther bobwhite, Dallas Texas, 10' × 20' pen, commercial feed supplemented with sprouted boss.

 

[jeepster]

So I have spent the last hour reading posts that I could find and what I am able to glean (not a lot of info on bobwhites) is that placing the young birds in a cage next to the mature birds for a few weeks is the recommendation.

Ok so once that is done should I just dump them in in one big group?

I have 34 mature birds and I would be introducing 46 young birds to the mix. The mature birds are just under one year old and the young are 2 months old.

 

[Tony K T]

It's always best when introducing new birds to an existing flock to put all birds into a new cage to all of them.A bird or flock that has been living in a pen has deemed it their pen and all intruders are trying to take over.If you put them all in a new pen they are on equal grounds.Now they still may have to set up there pecking order so keep an eye on them.
Also the new birds are hatched from this existing flock?If so you still have the same bloodlines in 1 pen.Or if you have multiple bloodlines,how do you keep track of who's who?
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[jeepster]

Tony, I don't have another new pen to put them in. I could put the new birds inside the existing pen in a cage though.
Also they are new bloodlines so no issue with interbreeding. I always figure a good mix produces a better bird.