I have two questions about adding birds to flock.

[a123andpoof]

1. I have a sick hen. She is seperated and we are thinking of keeping her seperated for around 2 or 3 weeks so we don't accidently eat her eggs if she starts laying again. We do sell our eggs. Will the she have a hard time going back in with the flock or will they just let her back in? She has been with them since we first got them.

2. We have some barred rocks we got late september or October I cant really remember. Anyways they are in a smallish pen in the coop with the big girls and I would like to get them out as I am afraid it may be stunting a their growth. my problem I tried intergrating them last week. I was a little busy that day and when I went down to the coop the older girls had killed one of the babies. So now their are four. I am worried about them getting hurt by the mean older girls, but I am also worried about their health. When should I try putting them in with the girls again? And how should I go about doing it? I have done it before but the babies were closer in age to the older girls. The first time both chicks were roosters, and the second time their was one rooster and I think having a rooster helped. This time their is no rooster so I am at a total loss.

 

[CarolJ]

I integrated two groups of chickens a month ago. I did it right at roosting time (although probably doing it at night would be even better). I stayed and watched to make sure no one got hurt until they went to sleep. I placed the younger birds on the roosting poles next to the older ones. There was some clucking and shifting around - but it was getting dark and chickens can't see well in the dark. So they settled down quickly. Then I was out there early the next morning to keep an eye on things. Make sure there are places where the younger birds can run to get away from any mean older bird. The most important thing is to take the time to stay out there and observe them until you're sure they've worked out the pecking order.

 

[elmo]

I would wait until the younger birds are full grown to try to integrate them. Why do you think being in a separate pen is stunting their growth?

As for the ill bird, after three weeks she will have to reestablish her place in the pecking order when she returns to the flock. You might try putting her into the separate pen with the younger birds when she's recovered, and then introducing that group to the flock as a whole.