Hello from Central Texas

[tbess]

I'm a momma to eight hens: four 15 week.old Red Sex Links, and four other hens that I just took in 2 weeks ago. They are supposedly 2 years old. 1 Silver Laced Wyandotte, a New Hampshire Red, a Black Sex Link, and what looks like a Buff Orpginton cross.

I'd love suggestions for integration in a couple weeks.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Cute flock! For combining flocks, a long period of seeing but no touching through wire seem to work best, ie dividing the coop into two sections or keeping the new/younger ones in a cage inside the coup for a couple of weeks to a month at least. The chickens will get to know each other and sort of work out a pecking order before actually coming in contact with each other. Letting them free range together is a good idea and should help... It will take a couple of weeks to get the pecking order sorted out. There is a nice article in the Learning Center on integrating flocks you might like to check out, the part about actually combining them is after the quarantine section https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

 

[drumstick diva]

WELCOME TO BYC Glad you joined the flock

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

Kelsie X2 You will need to keep the smaller birds in a cage or fenced off area but within the flock at all times. Everybody sees, nobody touches. Leave them this way for 3 or 4 weeks. Then you can mix them in. There will still be some squabbling, but it shouldn't be too aggressive. Always put out more feeding and watering stations for the new birds as they older flock will want to guard these areas and can starve the new ones out. And always intervene if it turns bloody.

Good luck with your flock and welcome to ours!

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

X3 the see but don't touch is the best method to use. Separate them from the others by a fence or other barrier for at least two weeks. The longer the better.
The key is patience and hideaways. Also, make sure there are lots of extra feeders and waterers as bossy hens will hog feeders and starve the other birds.

 

[Wyandottes7]

Welcome to BYC!

We're glad to have you.

 

[Michael OShay]

Welcome to BYC. Glad you decided to join our flock. You have a beautiful flock. Sex Links are egg laying machines, and I am especially fond of the Black Sex Links. Kelsie2290 has given you a good link on integrating new birds into your flock so I'll just say, please feel free to ask any other questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Good luck in integrating the new birds into your flock.

 

[BantamLover21]

Glad you joined us!

The previous posters have given you good advice about introducing your two groups of birds. Good luck with them!

And if you have any other questions, feel free to ask! We're all here to help as well as we can.