Does sneaking the newbies in at night really work???

[BellLisamo]

I'm looking for experienced people who have done this. I just got some new chickens today, and put them in a large kennel inside my chicken coop, so everyone got to know each other through bars. My husband suggested I sneak them in at night. So i went down to the coop (i say down cause its appx 1000 feet away, downhill ahaaha), and i took the new ones out and took them into the hen house, where the others sleep. Well the newbies fell off the little perch ( 2 ft )and into the corner, and decided to sleep there. My rooster heard it and made a "what the heck" noise. Well. Everyone quieted down, and everyone is sleeping. I plan on checking on them about 5am or 530am. I left the kennel in their with the door open if they need a place to run to get away from anyone....

Any experiences with this?

Did i do the right thing?

 

[Teresaann24]

did you quarentine the birds first?

If so I suggest letting them get use to each other for a week or 2 before introducing them to the others. Even then they will be a peaking order...

 

[ibpboo]

Good idea to go out early in am. Just keep watching, remove if necessary, if some pecking is going on, but not too aggressive and harmful, should be ok. But if it gets too bad, remove them, and just keep trying. Sometimes it can be accomplished right away, other times it can take a month or so, depends on the personalities of the chickens.

Good Luck! Keep us posted.

 

[mahen8622]

i have a q similar to this i jsut got a great looking mutt roo and have him in a pen with my mixed flock of standards and bantys hes about a yr old i guess how long should he stay penned up before i release him with the flock i dnt want a giant cock fight on my hands

 

[Akane]

I think it helps but chickens are good at recognizing their flock mates. They will still realize these chickens are new and will still try to push them around until they figure out the new pecking order. I haven't had any trouble just sticking chickens in my coop but I have some very laid back breeds and mostly bantams. If you see any potential problems it would be best to fence off the new ones where the others can see them but not pick on them for a few days before letting them out with the others.

 

[ibpboo]

Its a good idea to keep newcomers separate for about a month for quarantine purposes, just to make sure he is not bringing in any unwanted illness. Its mostly trial and error. Keep introducing and removing as necessary. Some pecking is ok. Sometimes it can seem quite mean, but as long as they are not causing a lot of damage, let them work it out. Sometimes letting them free range together, or at least in a very large pen so they can escape if necessary helps them learn to get along. Sometimes it takes only a day or two, and other times it can take a month or more.

 

[mahen8622]

this is good advice this new bantam roo has some serious spurs on him however my other roos dont my other bantam roo has small ones and my standards just have knobs i was just scared he could hurt them ... i guess ill jsut let him out in the coop with them and have gloves on to grab him if need be

 

[Akane]

This is where a tie out cord could come in handy. Tie a length of flexible rope to his leg and if something goes wrong just carefully but quickly reel him in.

 

[BellLisamo]

Quote:
wow! never thought of that idea!

 

[BellLisamo]

well i checked everyone this morning, and someones laying eggs!!! not to mention itty bitty eggs, so i know its one of the bantams, i check vents later when my 7 mo. old takes a nap. Oh! And right with the little bantam eggs was a duck egg. haha! Shes trying to hourd them for herself!