Chicken Placement?!?!?

[OkieB]

Today I acquired a 3 1/2 old California White. Should I place her with my 6-7 week old chicks? Or will she be okay with my older hens? There are 16 of the older ones. Plenty of space in each pen.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Best to pen her separately but in the big chickens coop for a few days before trying to integrate her. You may have troubles with introducing a single hen.

 

[OkieB]

Right. It wasn't my intention to get just one. Long story. I have 2 reds that are about 4 months old and they separate themselves from the rest of the flock for the most part. I'm hoping they will take her in to their clique. Thanks for your input!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Good luck, chickens can be cruel to new members so take it slowly. Their initial instinct will be to drive the intruder out or abandon the territory, after that period they may accept her or they will keep her at a distance for a while. It can take up to see year for a bird to be fully integrated into a flock.

 

[aart]

This might help:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/introducing-a-single-hen-to-an-existing-flock.71997/

So might these:
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

This used to be a better search, new format has reduced it's efficacy, but still:
Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, BUT some info is outdated IMO:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock