Flock Integration Conundrum

[GreenCreekHaven]

I've read various threads here about integrating flocks and new chickens to an existing flock but I'm still not sure and need advice.

We started fresh with 5 chicks this year. We're at the 15 week mark appx. 2 ended up being cockerels. I made a trade with a friend to take one of my cockerels and she gave us a pullet that is about 2 weeks younger than ours so she's smaller. We did the dog kennel in the coop at night and created a separate space for her in the run during the day so they could interact safely for a couple weeks. They have access to one another now and she gets pecked on enough that she hides in the coop by herself all the time. Won't come out to the run unless I force her. Sleeps on the roost away from the other 4. I worry about her eating and thriving.

Second problem, we still have the one cockerel to only 4 hens. (And he's starting to grab at them all.) It feels like my only options are to rehome/cull him or get more hens from elsewhere which starts over the pecking order again and I don't know if that's a terrible idea when our one new girl is still scared.

I never thought I'd stress so much about chickens!

 

[Ridgerunner]

They have access to one another now and she gets pecked on enough that she hides in the coop by herself all the time. Won't come out to the run unless I force her. Sleeps on the roost away from the other 4. I worry about her eating and thriving.

My goal during integration is that no one gets hurt. It's that simple, no one gets hurt. All that one big happy flock thing will come later when they all mature to a certain point. Is she getting injured? That is what I'd go by.

How much room, in feet or meters, do you have in the coop? If she can sleep on the roost away from the others far enough that she is not getting beat up you probably have a fair amount. How much room in the run? If you are worried about her eating and drinking (a legitimate concern) set up additional food and water stations far apart and hopefully out of line of sight of each other. Maybe in the coop and outside.

Can you identify an instigator. That could be one of the other pullets or the cockerel. At that age they are immature pullets and cockerel, not hens and a rooster. If you can identify an instigator isolate them for a week and see if that changes their attitude. Sometimes that works, sometimes not.

Second problem, we still have the one cockerel to only 4 hens. (And he's starting to grab at them all.) It feels like my only options are to rehome/cull him or get more hens from elsewhere which starts over the pecking order again and I don't know if that's a terrible idea when our one new girl is still scared.

Why do you want a rooster? The only reason you need a rooster is if you want fertile eggs. Everything else is personal preference. Nothing wrong with personal preferences, I have a few myself. But those are choices, not needs. How many of your immediate problems would go away if you did not have that boy?

Based on what I've seen I do not believe any of that ratio of boys to girls stuff. You can have as much trouble with one boy and 20 girls as you can with one boy and 1 or 2 girls. You can have no trouble with one boy and 20 girls or one boy and 1 or 2 girls. Adding more girls will not help any of this, it will just add the problem of more integration.

When they are immature juveniles it can get really rough down there. The cockerel is hyped up on hormones and the pullets aren't going to cooperate. If you can get past puberty they will most likely settle down and be a pretty peaceful flock but it can be real hard to watch the go through that process. And that process can go on for several more months.

 

[Tonyroo]

Usually around that age it's easier to integrate cause the young birds are learning there ways and usually don't pay to much attention to any newbies.

 

[GreenCreekHaven]

My goal during integration is that no one gets hurt. It's that simple, no one gets hurt. All that one big happy flock thing will come later when they all mature to a certain point. Is she getting injured? That is what I'd go by.

How much room, in feet or meters, do you have in the coop? If she can sleep on the roost away from the others far enough that she is not getting beat up you probably have a fair amount. How much room in the run? If you are worried about her eating and drinking (a legitimate concern) set up additional food and water stations far apart and hopefully out of line of sight of each other. Maybe in the coop and outside.

Can you identify an instigator. That could be one of the other pullets or the cockerel. At that age they are immature pullets and cockerel, not hens and a rooster. If you can identify an instigator isolate them for a week and see if that changes their attitude. Sometimes that works, sometimes not.


Why do you want a rooster? The only reason you need a rooster is if you want fertile eggs. Everything else is personal preference. Nothing wrong with personal preferences, I have a few myself. But those are choices, not needs. How many of your immediate problems would go away if you did not have that boy?

Based on what I've seen I do not believe any of that ratio of boys to girls stuff. You can have as much trouble with one boy and 20 girls as you can with one boy and 1 or 2 girls. You can have no trouble with one boy and 20 girls or one boy and 1 or 2 girls. Adding more girls will not help any of this, it will just add the problem of more integration.

When they are immature juveniles it can get really rough down there. The cockerel is hyped up on hormones and the pullets aren't going to cooperate. If you can get past puberty they will most likely settle down and be a pretty peaceful flock but it can be real hard to watch the go through that process. And that process can go on for several more months.

I don't think space is a problem. Our coop is 4'x8' with ample roosting bars. The run is appx 250sqft. (I can't free range because we have bald eagles, osprey and all manner of predators.)

I don't NEED a rooster. I'm ready to let him go but my husband doesn't view him as causing problems yet like I do and my kids are attached.

Are you thinking my original pullets will calm down about the new girl if I get rid of the cockerel?

I really appreciate you taking the time to respond!

 

[GreenCreekHaven]

Usually around that age it's easier to integrate cause the young birds are learn there ways and usually don't pay to much attention to any newbies.

I wish I was having that experience for their age!

 

[Tonyroo]

I have made a partition inside the coop for the younger ones from this year to live with the adults. And had zero issues while they all occupied in the coop.

My coop has 2 doors on opposite ends of each other. So they have access with both doors open before nightfall.

I also have a partition on the connecting roost bar that can only fit 2 birds per section.

 

[Tonyroo]

Maybe partitioning one of your roost bar will help to de stress your youngest bird or any other birds.

 

[alinas2010]

I feel your integration pain. I integrated a single hen into our flock of 4 hens that had grown up together, it was very tough and took a lot of patience. We eventually got her integrated after 3 ish months, but even now they’re all still adjusting and she still sleeps alone.

When I came here for advice, something someone told really stuck out. They said: “Everything is new to her - new surroundings, new flock, new feed, etc - it’s going to take a lot of time” and hearing that really helped me have patience and less frustration. It’s also why I let her have the coop or run to herself for a bit each day; I felt it was important for her to build her confidence and to have confidence in her surroundings. I locked the other four hens opposite her (her in coop, them in run or vice versa) for about an hour or so each morning. Idk what your set up is like so not sure if that a possibility for you, but also giving her places to hide or run from the others in the run will help; break up the line of sight.

I thought I’d be Raviolis only friend forever. As yours is doing, she stayed far away from the others. She would stay in the coop alone all day once they were all let loose together. Then one day, I saw her come out in the morning with the others when I threw scratch out. She kept her distance but I was so proud she came out with them. Day by day she would start to come out more when they were out in the run. It just takes a lot of time, hang in there.

 

[GreenCreekHaven]

I feel your integration pain. I integrated a single hen into our flock of 4 hens that had grown up together, it was very tough and took a lot of patience. We eventually got her integrated after 3 ish months, but even now they’re all still adjusting and she still sleeps alone.

When I came here for advice, something someone told really stuck out. They said: “Everything is new to her - new surroundings, new flock, new feed, etc - it’s going to take a lot of time” and hearing that really helped me have patience and less frustration. It’s also why I let her have the coop or run to herself for a bit each day; I felt it was important for her to build her confidence and to have confidence in her surroundings. I locked the other four hens opposite her (her in coop, them in run or vice versa) for about an hour or so each morning. Idk what your set up is like so not sure if that a possibility for you, but also giving her places to hide or run from the others in the run will help; break up the line of sight.

I thought I’d be Raviolis only friend forever. As yours is doing, she stayed far away from the others. She would stay in the coop alone all day once they were all let loose together. Then one day, I saw her come out in the morning with the others when I threw scratch out. She kept her distance but I was so proud she came out with them. Day by day she would start to come out more when they were out in the run. It just takes a lot of time, hang in there.

Yes, it's not even so much frustration as heartache for her. She is so, so sweet and looks to me for protection. I've read that if I constantly "save her" though, it just makes things worse. I would never let her get injured but to see the other chickens chase her off or peck at her where she's so scared all the time if they're near one another just hurts my heart. We even set up a camera in the coop so we can keep watch over her in there.

Knowing now that it can take a few months, I will keep being patient. Thank you for sharing.

 

[alinas2010]

Yes, it's not even so much frustration as heartache for her. She is so, so sweet and looks to me for protection. I've read that if I constantly "save her" though, it just makes things worse. I would never let her get injured but to see the other chickens chase her off or peck at her where she's so scared all the time if they're near one another just hurts my heart. We even set up a camera in the coop so we can keep watch over her in there.

Knowing now that it can take a few months, I will keep being patient. Thank you for sharing.

It takes so long with a single chicken. And it is so hard to watch, i agree. My chickens are all so important to me, I love them so much, so it was very difficult for me to watch her be picked on and scared of the others. I was also her savior, as you are. I felt so guilty when I would leave the coop or run and she was left to fend for herself. SO GUILTY. But I also knew it was important.

Here is a link to the post I made about integrating her. It’s a longer one, but you can skip a few pages to the ones where we actually adopted her. I hope it helps and hang in there