How do i intergrate chickens?

[familyfarm1]

Here's a great article from the learning center if anyone is interested!
Adding New Chickens to Your Flock

 

[Yellow Feather]

Is your coop large enough to divide in half and have 2 flocks? It was easier for me to divide my coop as some of my older birds are extremely territorial. I have a flock of 3-year-olds and a separate flock of 2-year-olds. The coop has a separate entrance for each flock. When they are out in the big yard, they can all be together because it is a large area. But when they are confined to the coop, I keep them separated to avoid injuries. I have doctored two injured birds with horrible head wounds, one with a big hole pecked clean to the skull. I find it less trouble to physically divide them when they are confined, than to deal with the injuries.

 

[chicken04]

I just got this me membership so I might have already sent this.I think you should get a decent amount of chickens so then they have there own group.You should also wait till they get around the same size.That worked for me.

 

[ariadne]

Hey,
I can't really add much in regard to integration, but I did want to let you know, colloidal/ionic silver is fantastic for head wounds. Clears them up really quickly. Just soak the wounds in it, no need for fiddly work. I had an injured bird from hen pecking and she was right in 48 hours. I was gov smacked!

I hope they all settle down for you

 

[AnnabelleO]

I am going through a similar issue. I only have 5 chickens, and 2 are in a spare bedroom, in dog crates. 2 are in the main coop and run, and another is in an attached mini "condo" coop. I think the key is to not let them get at each other until you know they can get along. IN my experience once they bloody each other, they keep at it. Totally depends on the bird though. Let them see each other, but not be able to fight. It can take a while. In extreme cases Ive heard that the troublemakers might need re-homing. At this point I am way to attached to all my girls to do that.



Edited by Staff

 

[313759]

I have 4 chickens (all girls). A blue andulusian named BB (11 months old) a silver lakenvelder named raspberry (11 months old) a sicilan buttercup named alex (11 months old) and a welsummer named coco (about 2 years old). 
Right now BB and raspberry are together and coco and alex are together. I can't get the 2 groups together. They have been next to each other in a cage for weeks. and if i try to put them in together the fight get all bloody. BB, Alex, and Raspberry all grew up together but they have been separated and now none of them get along with each other except for the groups they are in right now. They have already made each other all bloody and i can't seem to get them together. How do i intergrate them?

They are probably fighting for dominance. Without dominance there isn't any order in the flock. They will fight to see who is fit enough to be leader. It's a peck order thing.

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Don't know if this will help at all but I introduce last year. This is what I did

had three hens. (EE and two buff orpingtons.) I had had to get rid of two bantams due to aggressiveness. So I wanted to get two new chickens. So this spring I decided on a buff orpington and speckled sussex. I raised them from two days old. At 12 weeks I started the using the "see but don't touch" method. I separated the chicken run into halfs. At first the chicks were terrified of the adults and stayed on their far side. After about a week they would go up and have staring contests with the adults. One of the hens, Gracie who is the queen, was not at all happy with new comers. She was raising her hackles and making mad noises. After about two weeks they were ignoring each other and screaming for more room. That's when I decided to give it a try. I took out the barrier. Nothing happened really. They all stayed on their sides and pecked around. Then one of the chicks ran over to the adults. The adult hen pecked her...HARD! After that, the chick didn't try that again! LOL The first night was tough. They all had to find their own spots on the roost. The chicks were finally banished to the bottom roost.

It was weeks of pecking, squabbling, attacking and chasing. Now, after three months they get along like long lost friends. They eat together, drink together, sing together, dust bathe together and even snuggle together. I never would have thought they would get along SO well. I once caught them preening each other!

 

[chickens123432]

I am inclined to say doing so is not a good approach. The wings do more than enable flight.

i think she meant just tape the feathers together

 

[chickens123432]

How big is your coop(feet by feet)?
Are there other birds in there?

I tried to put them in 2 different crates next to each other. I'm not sure the measurement from the coop (but its pretty big) and the run is 6x3 but were in the process of building a bigger one. I brought 2 birds down to the coop just recently so this weekend hopefully i'll get them together

 

[chickens123432]

thats great!