How do you introduce a new hen into an old flock?

[allena33]

My girls all grew up together...3 Ameracaunas (Fiona, Clementine, and Pooter) along what I think to be a Brown Sex Link named, appropriately, Big Sexy. Pooter had an unfortunate accident where she was small enough to crawl into a bail of hay...which was then used to insulate the coop. She was almost dead when she came out and became a house chicken for...well, I will be honest...she is still in my house. She is an affectionate (and often naughty) chicken who grooms my hair, jumps in my lap and terrorizes the cats. When I put her in with the other girls they peck her, she cries, my heart breaks...and she is back in her kennel or on my lap watching Law and Order. I ordered a chicken diaper but it didn't work out so hot with her...she hated it. I wondered if anyone had any ideas about how to integrate an old roommate back in?

 

[Judy]

They probably won't know she is an old roommate and will see her as a stranger. I'll give you a link with several ideas about integrating a new chicken into the flock -- which is in effect what you'll be doing. You'll want to scroll past the first part of the article, which is about quarantine, which doesn't apply in your case, of course.

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publi...ndbook/16/thinshelled-eggs-and-shellless-eggs

As attached to you as she's become, I feel chickens still prefer to be part of a flock, so I hope all works out well for you both!

 

[1muttsfan]

Hi and welcome to BYC from northern Michigan

hope you have success

 

[allena33]

Thank you for the article. I admit that I have been a bit of a softie when it comes to putting Pooter out with the other girls. I was worried that since she had been recovering since fall that the outside conditiions (it has been a LONG winter in Wisconsin) would stress her even more. I am truly amazed at her recovery...blueberries are a great motivator to learn how to walk again if you are a chicken! Thank you again...I am very excited to be part of the chicken community!

 

[allena33]

Thank you so much! I am one of the only people in my village of 2000 people in Wisconsin to have chickens. Any given day I can look out on the patio and see the neighbor kids watching them...giving the eggs away to neighbors helps too! Pictures to be posted soon...I have a coop with stained glass windows around the top and want to show it off!!!! I look forward to all my new chicken friends!

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas, alenna33, and

! Happy you joined our flock! Good luck to you and your house chicken and re-integration process!

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Hello, and welcome to BYC!!

Glad to have you aboard!!

 

[drumstick diva]