I have a question about getting new differnt types of chicks?

[Rooster1235597]

I have a RIR female adult and an adult leghorn, and i was going to get three new babies but i am not sure what to get. If i get three different typed babies will the three work as a flock or will they not get along? Will they get along with the two adults as well?? I was thinking of getting a barred rock, a buff Orpington, and an Americana, will they get along? your feedback is important to my decision.

 

[LarryPQ]

You will probably need to keep the babies seperate until they are 8 weeks or so. THe big ones may try to pick on the little ones. What breeds you get will not make much of a difference, it is the age issue.

 

[Rooster1235597]

Yea i have a separate smaller coop next to the big one which when they are ready to go outside should provide them with enough space till they can live with the big ones. But will the three act s a flock? like the leghorn and RiR i have now don't interact with each other, its like they are just roomies and when they go outside the coop they go separate ways. Will the three new ones do the same??

 

[LarryPQ]

Any time you brood chicks together, they form a mini-flock. They will hang out together fairly exclusively until adulthood. I have a number of min-flocks running around the yard. They all live together in the big coop, but when it is free time, they are a bit clique-ish. They also sleep that way.

Edited: Here you can see two of my young cockerels in the background...they & their 2 sisters hop through the grass as a group, and avoid the big kids. Most of the time i find them in the garden, making a mess. They are still small enough to fit through the fence....


THe 3 austras from my "blue" mini-flock

 

[Rooster1235597]

That is awesome!!!!!! Ok i was worried that they wouldn't get along, OK this is good news! i have a pretty small coop which i once had 5 comfortably in, but now there are the two as i said before and will like the three sleep on the side and then the two off to the other or will they all sleep together? should i make a separate sleeping area for the new three so during the night they don't get abused??

 

[LarryPQ]

Once they are large enough for integration, it wont matter. Sure there will be squabbling, but all chickens argue before bed.

 

[Rooster1235597]

thanks

 

[Tecalli]

Hi Rooster1235597, I've got three hens-- a barred rock, orphington, and an ameracuna. I bought them at a chickenstock last summer from different people when they were all about 8 weeks of age. They came home together in the same box and went right into the coop. They are quite bonded to each other and at 11 months of age are all doing great together.

 

[flockof4]

My situation is very similar to Tecalli. I have four pullets that I bought from a farm when they were between 6-10 weeks. 1 RIR, 1 Buff Orp, 1 Bl Aus, 1 Ameraucana. I put them in a box, drove home and put them in the coop and they are like sisters now. I haven't added any new birds to my original flock, but it sounds like you have a good plan for keeping them separate for a while. Good luck.

 

[blacktailsmom]

Post your results so we can hear how it went, please. I am looking forward to a similar situation soon.