How long should I wait before adding new members

[motherhenfran]

I wasn't sure what forum section to put this in. I lost my golden sexlink today dyer a freak accident in the yard. Her poor little neck got broken when she was investigating under a heavy log in the yard and it fell on top of her. She was cuddled during her last breaths and will be missed every day.

I am also having to rehome my lavender orpington roo thanks to a nagging neighbor. Bad things seem to be coming in threes :/ he will be leaving us on Thursday.

I was thinking of getting two chicks in two weeks (give everyone a chance to calm down and settle in with the changes) to make up for the two we lost. Both the same type as my golden sexlink. Hoping to get an offspring hen of my lavender orp down the road

Would this be a good idea? I feel the distraction and new members will be good for the girls. I was going to get them as chicks, leave them inside in the brooder and slowly integrate them with the older girls (5.5 months old currently).

I'd love any tips you all have in regards to integrating new members to the flock after a loss


Broken hearted,
Motherhen fran

 

[dawg53]

I wasn't sure what forum section to put this in. I lost my golden sexlink today dyer a freak accident in the yard. Her poor little neck got broken when she was investigating under a heavy log in the yard and it fell on top of her. She was cuddled during her last breaths and will be missed every day.

I am also having to rehome my lavender orpington roo thanks to a nagging neighbor. Bad things seem to be coming in threes

he will be leaving us on Thursday.

I was thinking of getting two chicks in two weeks (give everyone a chance to calm down and settle in with the changes) to make up for the two we lost. Both the same type as my golden sexlink. Hoping to get an offspring hen of my lavender orp down the road

Would this be a good idea? I feel the distraction and new members will be good for the girls. I was going to get them as chicks, leave them inside in the brooder and slowly integrate them with the older girls (5.5 months old currently).

I'd love any tips you all have in regards to integrating new members to the flock after a loss


Broken hearted,
Motherhen fran

Sorry for the loss of your hen and rehoming your roo. There's nothing wrong in adding birds to your flock. However be aware that the newbies should be separated in a pen in sight of your current flock for a period of time so that the birds get used to seeing each other. Simply mixing newbies in with your existing flock will disrupt the pecking order and the newbies will get pecked/picked on relentlessly causing injury or death.

 

[ochochicas]

Definitely keep the new birds separated, especially if they are younger and smaller. I keep mine so they can see each other for a couple of weeks before they actually have physical contact. With chicks, two months is a good age to introduce them to older birds. Mine get along in the coop but still do not socialize much when they are outside. I also found that once the pullets start laying and become "hens", the older hens accept them better and they start to hang out more. Just take it slow with the new birds and don't force it. They will learn to get along after some initial disagreements.

 

[chickisoup]

Quote: what Dawg said, works. Do not totally integrate until the chicks are big enough to defend themselves (or run away) as there will be some re-establishing of the pecking order. Feel free to pm me if you have questions. So sorry for such a hard loss. Been there, it hurts.

 

[motherhenfran]

Silver lining*** I only have to take my roo on a mini vacation until the complaint paperwork is cleared then he can come back home! There is a light at the end of this tunnel of a horrible week. Thank you all for your condolences. It's been a very rough day for all of us in the family, humans dogs and chickens included. She is surely missed but she is in chickadee heaven enjoying all the treats she can stomach