can we have chicken cousins visit our flock?

[funnyfoshay]

I think you need to find am alternative and fast. 1. That dog crate is too small for them to be in. That's not fair to them. 2. That will not protect against a possum. Again, not fair to them.
Is there a way for you to bring them back to your sisters and just check in on them? Does she have a secure run? I've left my chickens for a few days with my neighbor just checking in on them and they've been fine.

Thanks for looking and giving it thought. Maybe I will bring the crate into my girl's run which I can lock shut at night ....i will figure something out.

 

[funnyfoshay]

Assuming i find a safe way to keep the cousins contained but in sight, how long-ish before i should be able to let them all into the same run?

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

Assuming i find a safe way to keep the cousins contained but in sight, how long-ish before i should be able to let them all into the same run?

I would guess never.

 

[Mamatomany123]

Assuming i find a safe way to keep the cousins contained but in sight, how long-ish before i should be able to let them all into the same run?

How long will you have them? Integration can take weeks

 

[funnyfoshay]

How long will you have them? Integration can take weeks

2 weeks

 

[funnyfoshay]

I would guess never.

well how do people add hens to their adult flocks then?

i am hoping to get serious help and info

 

[sourland]

The chicken social order can be very cruel. Strangers or smaller birds are attacked to 'keep them in their place'. You might try locking the broody hen somewhere and seeing if the rest of the flock is less aggressive. Bottom line is that they are just chickens acting naturally.

 

[NatJ]

One of our EE and our Barred Rock who has been broody for days tried to murder their cousins.
...So I put the two BOs back in the dog crate in the corner of the run.
...my broody attempted murdress is back in the nesting box now, bummer i thought the drama would break her and now there are "people" in the dog crate so I can't break her.

What happens if you let the Buff Orpingtons out, and put the broody in the dog crate?

Maybe I will bring the crate into my girl's run which I can lock shut at night

This makes sense for reasons of predators, no matter which chickens(s) are inside the crate at that time.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

well how do people add hens to their adult flocks then?

i am hoping to get serious help and info

I have a second, smaller pen adjacent to the large chicken run. My young birds go in this small pen when they outgrow the brooder - at about four to six weeks, depending on weather. They need to be feathered and big enough not to look like baby birds, so my cats won't think they are prey. The big birds can see them and get used to being around them, but not able to touch or peck them. The littles have a small, secure coop of their own. They remain in this arrangement for several weeks, until they are about 12 weeks old. Then I just open the gate that separates them and they begin to mingle without either group really even noticing that's what's happening. A week or two later I start encouraging the littles to roost in the big coop, and after that I close up the little coop. Bingo, done! Soon the littles will be ready to lay and I have them where I want them. I'm sure others do it differently but this multi-step approach works for us and doesn't seem to stress the birds.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I have a second, smaller pen adjacent to the large chicken run. My young birds go in this small pen when they outgrow the brooder - at about four to six weeks, depending on weather. They need to be feathered and big enough not to look like baby birds, so my cats won't think they are prey. The big birds can see them and get used to being around them, but not able to touch or peck them. The littles have a small, secure coop of their own. They remain in this arrangement for several weeks, until they are about 12 weeks old. Then I just open the gate that separates them and they begin to mingle without either group really even noticing that's what's happening. A week or two later I start encouraging the littles to roost in the big coop, and after that I close up the little coop. Bingo, done! Soon the littles will be ready to lay and I have them where I want them. I'm sure others do it differently but this multi-step approach works for us and doesn't seem to stress the birds.

Sorry, that's how I add young birds to my existing flock. But I would use pretty much the same process if adding older hens to an existing flock. It's called the "see-don't touch" method. The difference being that I would first quarantine the new birds for at least a couple of weeks, if not a month, as far from my existing birds as my property allows.