Can I mix large and small chicken breeds?

[delaney48]

Thankyou. ..that's what I figured. We are going to build another coop for newcomers. Thank you for all your info.

 

[junebuggena]

Just try to keep in mind that you don't have to go all out. Just keep it simple, since weather and time are factors. A few t-posts and some welded wire for the run and a simple shelter to protect them at night is all that is needed. After a few weeks, you can let both groups free range together. If that goes well, you can put the new birds in the main coop.

 

[delaney48]

Thankyou. Weather is huge factor right now..I'm in ontario Canada and winter in just starting! We will build coop big enough for 6 chickenS. ...maybe insulate..not sure. But we have tons of room..in rural area.

 

[junebuggena]

Thankyou. Weather is huge factor right now..I'm in ontario Canada and winter in just starting! We will build coop big enough for 6 chickenS. ...maybe insulate..not sure. But we have tons of room..in rural area.

They won't need insulation, but they will need good ventilation. Brahmas are very cold hardy.

 

[aart]

How big is your coop....in feet by feet(meters by meters?)??
That is the 'room' you need to be concerned with..especially in your climate.

Hopefully it is big enough to accommodate 13(8) plus the new 6 birds.
Integration takes extra space.

Get rid of all but one, or maybe all, of the cockerels...asap.
Am surprised you are not having trouble already with 7 pullets and 6 cockerels at 24 weeks of age.

BTW FYI....
....semantics, but can be important communication terms when discussing chicken behavior.
Female chickens are called pullets until one year of age, then they are called hens.
Male chickens are called cockerels until one year of age, then they are called cocks(or cockbirds or roosters).

 

[dekel18042]

If you have enough room, you could build them a separate coop and run next to the one where your originals live so there's a barrier in between them. This gives everyone time and space to get to know each other. When you do finally group everyone together expect there to be a lot of fighting and pecking as the pecking order will be shifted around.

Ever since I have had chickens usually once or twice a year I'm adding someone new and mostly the additions go smoothly and are painless, often no fighting at all. Sometimes a bit of pecking if someone is too close to someone else at the feeder.
So I have several "rules" to make it as painless as possible.
First, if they have separate areas and seem to be getting along for a while, after a bit I remove the partition or leave them out to free range together. As long as they can get away from each other there doesn't seem to be a problem.
Make sure you have enough feeders and waterers. You want to make sure everyone can eat and drink, If a higher order hen is at the feeder she may reach over and peck what she perceives to be a subordinate. No fight, just a peck or two.
I do keep roosters with my flock and they are the peacekeepers. If new hens are added, they think it is wonderful and want more hens, so a good rooster will often make integration go smoothly, even if it is younger birds with cockerels mixed in.
All my birds are now integrated into one flock but just today some of this spring's pullets were chest bumping and having a high old time (and yes, they are pullets) and the young cockerel got in the middle of it, and it stopped. Guess he was the fun police.
I'm already planning on what I want to add next year.

 

[delaney48]

Great info! Thanks so much!

 

[delaney48]

How big is your coop....in feet by feet(meters by meters?)??
That is the 'room' you need to be concerned with..especially in your climate.

Hopefully it is big enough to accommodate 13(8) plus the new 6 birds.
Integration takes extra space.

Get rid of all but one, or maybe all, of the cockerels...asap.
Am surprised you are not having trouble already with 7 pullets and 6 cockerels at 24 weeks of age.

BTW FYI....
....semantics, but can be important communication terms when discussing chicken behavior.
Female chickens are called pullets until one year of age, then they are called hens.
Male chickens are called cockerels until one year of age, then they are called cocks(or cockbirds or roosters).

 

[delaney48]

Our coop is 12feet by 10feet. We have 2 acres for them to free range.
Sorry I didn't get the chicken language right! Therefore we have 6 pullets, 1 hen, and 6 cockerels. The cockerels are being rehomed. I know someone who has 6 buff brahma bantam pullets in need of a home... so I am considering this. Just wanted any new ideas of how other people introduced new flock members. Thanks for the advice

 

[aart]

Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, tho some info is outdated IMO:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock