Establishing a new flock - The intro puzzle

[Cluckgirl913]

Here are the players and the tools I have at my disposal
1) 7mo Easter egger roo. Currently at our friends farm, quarantined, awaiting the okay to come here.

2) 2 australorp hens, 8mo I was planing to purchase from a local man

3) 4 buff Orpington pullets, currently 7 weeks old. Raised from chicks here,

I have 3 large wire dog crates where I can separate the pullets, hens, and roo. The crates can be set up in our barn.
Our chicken coop is 4x8x6 with additional space for nesting 3 boxes. We have not yet constructed a run but will have it done in the next couple weeks.
How should I begin introductions and moving the new birds here. Should I bring the roo in first or last? Should I bring the hens first? And give them free rein in the coop and keep the roo in his crate? Planning to wait until 8-9 weeks before putting the pullets in…. Any input is welcome. Thanks!

 

[DobieLover]

Why is the cockerel being quarantined somewhere other than your land?
Can you please post pictures of your coop?
I would not even begin to attempt to integrate a flock without the run being complete, especially when all these birds haven't been homed to the coop. I would get the younger pullets out to the coop and get the LARGE run built first and put lots of things in it for the birds to perch on and hide behind. Let the younger pullets get established.
While that is happening, you could have the 8-month-old pullets in quarantine on your property. If they are clean, they can be kept in a fenced off section of your new predator proof run to begin integration with the younger pullets.
Then bring in the cockerel and quarantine him. Then put him in where you had the older pullets for his integration.
It's going to take a long time if you want to avoid injury and have the flock all homed to the coop.

 

[HumbleAmerican]

Only time I have combined two flocks like this was to a new coop.

I reasoned new living quarters and area trumped pecking order. I dumped everyone in at the same time. Everyone was looking for where things were more than who was with them. By the time they got familiar with the place, the others were just part of it.

Perhaps I was just lucky. Memory serves it was 8 or so twelve week RIR pellets combined with existing flock of 12 EE layers and a RIR cockerel about 7-8 months old. Everyone went in just enough time to scramble for a roost before dark.

 

[aart]

Seriously, that's lot to do in that size coop(just barely big enough for 8 birds), with no run, just as winter begins.
I seriously recommend not bringing in either the cockerel or the AU pullets.
get thru your first winter and think about a few chicks in the spring.

Bringing in older birds is risky from a pest and disease standpoint.
Biological/medical quarantine:
BYC Medical Quarantine Article

If you insist, here's some tips about.....
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.
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[Cluckgirl913]

Seriously, that's lot to do in that size coop(just barely big enough for 8 birds), with no run, just as winter begins.
I seriously recommend not bringing in either the cockerel or the AU pullets.
get thru your first winter and think about a few chicks in the spring.

Bringing in older birds is risky from a pest and disease standpoint.
Biological/medical quarantine:
BYC Medical Quarantine Article

If you insist, here's some tips about.....
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.
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

I had been on the fence about about the AUs and these comments solidified. I will pass on them this year

 

[NatJ]

Here are the players and the tools I have at my disposal
1) 7mo Easter egger roo. Currently at our friends farm, quarantined, awaiting the okay to come here.

2) 2 australorp hens, 8mo I was planing to purchase from a local man

3) 4 buff Orpington pullets, currently 7 weeks old. Raised from chicks here,

I have 3 large wire dog crates where I can separate the pullets, hens, and roo. The crates can be set up in our barn.
Our chicken coop is 4x8x6 with additional space for nesting 3 boxes. We have not yet constructed a run but will have it done in the next couple weeks.
How should I begin introductions and moving the new birds here. Should I bring the roo in first or last? Should I bring the hens first? And give them free rein in the coop and keep the roo in his crate? Planning to wait until 8-9 weeks before putting the pullets in…. Any input is welcome. Thanks!

Given what you have listed, I would put the young pullets in the coop first, probably right now. You can leave them shut in the coop while you build the run, and by then they will know where to sleep and will be comfortable in the space.

I'm not sure about which order to add the others, maybe even all at once, but I think the younger ones need the advantage of being already comfortable before the older ones join them.

 

[Cluckgirl913]

Why is the cockerel being quarantined somewhere other than your land?
Can you please post pictures of your coop?
I would not even begin to attempt to integrate a flock without the run being complete, especially when all these birds haven't been homed to the coop. I would get the younger pullets out to the coop and get the LARGE run built first and put lots of things in it for the birds to perch on and hide behind. Let the younger pullets get established.
While that is happening, you could have the 8-month-old pullets in quarantine on your property. If they are clean, they can be kept in a fenced off section of your new predator proof run to begin integration with the younger pullets.
Then bring in the cockerel and quarantine him. Then put him in where you had the older pullets for his integration.
It's going to take a long time if you want to avoid injury and have the flock all homed to the coop.

Because I didn’t feel like I was ready for him yet, coop wasn’t finished etc. she separated him from his flock a week ago. Coop interior will have multiple perches at various heights. I’ve also decided to pass on the AUs for this year

 

[aart]

I had been on the fence about about the AUs and these comments solidified. I will pass on them this year

I'd pass on the male too.

 

[Cluckgirl913]

The Roo I’m pretty well committed too. He was raised as an accidental rooster by good friends of ours and is very loved. He’s a snuggler and takes good care of his ladies but they can’t have him where they are. Just trying to make integration go as smooth as possible.
im going to move the pullets into the coop and let them get established there and then bring him in but keep him separated for a couple weeks. Picture is of George the roo

 

[NatJ]

The Roo I’m pretty well committed too. He was raised as an accidental rooster by good friends of ours and is very loved. He’s a snuggler and takes good care of his ladies but they can’t have him where they are. Just trying to make integration go as smooth as possible.
im going to move the pullets into the coop and let them get established there and then bring him in but keep him separated for a couple weeks. Picture is of George the roo

Some roosters will recognize that pullets are too young for mating and will leave them alone, and some will not. You won't know about yours until you introduce him and watch what happens.

If he does bother the pullets by trying to mate with them while they are too young, you will need to separate him again until they grow up. You want him able to interact with the pullets but not hurt them, so a wire mesh divider or a wire crate can work really well.

Once the pullets start getting red combs and squatting, they should be old enough to mate.