I need help!!! Introducing new chickens into my flock!

[ckseals]

I have two black australorp hens, a RIR hen, and an ameraucana bantam rooster who get along great and are all about 8mo-1yr. They've been together for about 5 mo. now. Yesterday, I bought a cuckoomaran and an easter egger, both about 1 yr, and I'm not sure how to introduce them. I put them in last night when everyone was up for the night, and this morning some major bullying was happening. The Easter Egger is being bullied bigtime by the Banty and the RIR, but when they dare come near to peck the Cuckoomaran, she fights back hard! Will they ever get along or do I need to return these chickens to where they came from??? I'm not familiar with the temperament of Cuckoomarans...help?

Second question: what do I keep my eye out for to make sure these newbies don't have bugs or diseases!?

 

[dacdeihl]

When I introduced new chickens to my flock it took about 3-5 days before there were all settled into a pecking order. I hope your new one doesn't keep getting pecked on after the oder has been established. Give them some time.

 

[jerseygirl1]

I gave mine 30 days in a very large dog crate inside the coop - then, I let everyone free range as one big happy family

 

[Amethyste]

This was in my reply to the other thread you posted, but will repost here:

Well, personally I wouldnt have introduced them off the bat.... quaratine is the name of the game to keep your existing flock safe. Just cos they LOOK healthy doesnt mean that they are not carrying something.

As for the arguing...pecking order wil happen. All you can really do is either seperate them and introduce gradually, or see what happens and let them argue it out....remove if anyone get hurt or injured.

 

[feathersnuggles]

Free range, free range, free range. When you do that, there's lots of space for the new ones to get away from bullies, and everyone will get used to one another by scratching together, finding insects and taking dust baths. Lots of places to get away, lots of space. And less chance of an unfortunate bird getting trapped and pecked mercilessly.

This summer I put ONE chicken into a large flock of 30+ birds, who were several years older. Their "enclosure" was an acre of pasture with the chicken house. Narry a feather was raised when the new bird arrived, although the new chicken tried to stand up as tall as possible, LOL! I was concerned, though, so I asked the farmer about possibility of fighting and didn't they need to get used to each other first. He shrugged and pointed to the yard. "There's so much space there, there are places for everyone to get away from each other whenever necessary, it will not be a problem." And it wasn't. So I got *sold* on using free-ranging when introducing new members.

ETA: temporarily, you may want to put out TWO feeders (maybe waterers also) so that the newcomers have a chance to eat something without getting bullied.

 

[captainmoose]

When I introduce new chickens I section off part of the coop and I have 2 runs. The chickens can interact through the wire for a couple of weeks then I take down the divider in the coop.