How can I intruduce new chickens to the Flock?

[Omran]

I got a new rooster from my friend today and I tried to put him with my 12 hens and the old rooster.all my chickens including the rooster and the new one are about 6 months old,but as soon as he got in the run with the others all of them came and attacked him!!! what man should do if man wants new chicken to add ?and what the old chicken will do for thier new chicks if they brood any and hatchet in the coop?please share your experiancewith me.thank you
Omran

 

[Sahara]

When I bring home new chickens I keep them in a separate pen but visible to the original flock. For two reasons you want to separate them:
1. To ensure they have no diseases they will share with your flock.
2. Introduce the new chickens to your surroundings.

I normally keep them separated four or 5 days and then will start free-ranging them with the original flock for a day or so. Then I bring them into the coop at night and set them on one of the roosting poles.

This will not keep them from getting pecked but at least your original flock has been introduced and had some time around them before being penned in together.

I am sure there are other ways but this is what I do and it seems to work for successful integration.

 

[Mule Chick]

I was going to post this question, too. I lost my first batch of chicks to a predator this summer. I started with a mixed flock of BOs EEs, SLW and Marans. When they were killed, all the feed store had left were BOs. So next year I want to get another mixture and add them to the flock but I always knew there could be some problems adding new birds to an existing flock. I figured I wouldn't put them in til the birds were laying or close just so the size difference wouldn't be too much.

 

[Schultz]

I have this question as well. I have 4 Buff Orpingtons and plan to purchase 4 more buff pullets this weekend. The pullets are 10-11 weeks old and I want to safely introduce them to my 1 year olds. Should I keep them seperate for the first few days and then introduce them? Also, the person I am buying the pullets from has Jersey Giants I was thinking about getting a couple of those as well. Would they be ok to house with the Buffs?

 

[bigzio]

Yep introduction with seperation is the only way to make this work for you. It can be a simple chicken wire barrior with feed and water for both groups. Once they become use to seeing each other, the present flock won't be so stressed when newbies are eating in their feeder, and drinking their water.

The pecking order will still be established, however the severity will be alot less servere and stressful for the flock.

bigzio

 

[Featherland]

In my experience I think you need to wait till the pullets are about full grown maybe 20 weeks so they don't get picked on too bad. I would let them free range together even when they are younger in neutral territory.

 

[Hen Daddy]

One thing that someone here also suggested is to have a small enclosure inside your main run to let the girls get acquainted. This of course is after they have been quarantined for at least 2 weeks to make sure they are free of disease.
You basically keep the new pullets inside a small run or pen so they are safe from your other birds but so they can still see each other.

 

[Omran]

Thank you all for sharing your experiences with me it is very helpful to me.
Omran