I need to hear a flock integration SUCCESS story

[ChickyLaura]

I agree with the idea of putting wire mesh in the coop, and segregating the chickens in that way. That is what I have just done, and it is working out fine. I have a hodge podge of different kinds of chickens, so it's interesting to see how the pecking order is working out. But now I'm trying to do that idea in reverse with my roosters. It's not working for them though! They want to be with their girls, and keep getting back in the main coop!

Good luck!

 

[WriterofWords]

I have integrated large and small amounts of birds to my flock. When I brought home a lot more than I expected from one trip I set up a pen, put them in it, everyone got to know each other through the fence. As soon as there were no raised feathers through the fence I opened the gate and let nature take it's course. The only one who has had a problem is Popcorn the roo, that is because he is a coward and let's the little roos push him around and he lets his lady Lissa pull his tail feathers out!

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

We just intrigated 2 6 month old jersey giants with a flock of 14 jerseys of all young ages. I think the oldest is 3 months. All from the same breeder no bio trouble. They are in a very large open pen and we did not have nay trouble. They all get along fine. We do however put the larger two in a separte nighttime pen as I was afraid with their size they could injure some of the smaller ones. I have also had luck in mixing some of my growout pens. Usually I put two brooders full in the same outside coop. They are all new ato the pen and noone is dominant. It has worked out best for me this way.

 

[LaSombra]

I had no problems adding a trio of araucanas to my existing flock. The new ones were 8 weeks old at the time and the existing ones were 10 weeks and 6 weeks, so about the same ages as yours, I suppose.

I have a cage inside the coop where I kept the trio for a couple days so they could get used to the rest of the flock before being thrown in together. I was going to keep them in longer but one escaped. I had no problems, even then. It all worked out fine. Of course, 2 out of 3 of those are roos and I'm going to have to take them back out soon (too many) *sigh* but right now, they're all doing well. Currently, the elder chickens are 15 weeks old so it's been 5 weeks now, no problems

 

[Chicken03]

I bought 5 hens about 3 months ago and added them to my flock of 9 with no problems at all. They didn't even peck at each other.