Do you have a run or do you free range them? In Oklahoma you will probably have some days this winter that they will be coop-bound by the weather but probably not a lot of days. Is the area set up so they can get out of the weather outside the coop when it is windy or snow covers the ground? At least you only have hens, no multiple roosters involved.
I’ve got a different perspective. I don’t believe the coop by itself or the run by itself is the important factor. I believe the total space available, how it is arranged, and when it is available are all important. When chickens have a conflict it is possible to have fights to the death or one gets seriously injured. But what normally happens is that one pretty quickly figures out it will not win and so it runs away. If it can get away after a little chasing, the fight is over, at least temporarily. Sometimes there is a repeat performance, sometimes not. This is how they sort out the pecking order.
If the loser cannot run away and get away the winner does not know it won so it keeps attacking, usually going for the head. The loser typically tries to hide, often huddling against a wall or fence, and tries to protect its head. This can quickly lead to serious injury or death.
Until they get the pecking order and dominance issues sorted the weaker avoid the stronger as best they can. In addition to having enough room to run away and get away, they need room to avoid. This room to avoid could be pure square feet, it could be in the coop while the stronger are out in the run, or it could be on the roosts if the roosts are high enough so the ones on the ground cannot peck their feet or them. Sometimes mine hide under my nests which are pretty low when my litter is fairly deep.
Sometimes when you integrate, especially fully mature hens, it goes so smoothly you wonder what all the worry was about. Sometimes chickens get seriously injured or die. Normally there is some pecking and bullying but little actual fighting and they eventually work it out and become one happy flock. The more room they have available and the better quality that room is the smoother it goes.
Different hens have different personalities. Some are happy to be a follower, some really want to be dominant. Some are fairly laidback, some are aggressive and will chase and attack a weaker hen with little provocation. Hens that have been the dominant hen in a flock are often reluctant to give up that position. In my opinion that’s where you are most likely to see serious fighting, between the three hens that were dominant in their individual flock.
Are those different flocks ranging together during the day, either free ranging or in a shared run? If they are now peacefully intermingling during the day, even if they stay separated into three different flocks, integration will probably go a lot smoother than if they are total strangers.
I don’t know how many hens from three different flocks you can integrate in that coop. If they have access to additional room outside when they are awake that number goes way up. If you leave them locked in the coop only after they wake up or weather locks them in there, the number drops. If they have places to get away inside the coop (quality of coop space) the number goes up some. Personality of the individual hens makes a difference. Once they are fully integrated the amount of room is less important, but during integration itself, the more room the better. The only way you can find out if it will work is to try but monitor and be prepared to take action if it does not go well.
Whether they are locked in that coop by itself or have additional space outside, different feeding and watering stations can help the weaker eat and drink without challenging the stronger. If you can let them get acquainted with each other before you lock them up together it usually goes a lot smoother. So either house them behind wire a week or so where they can see each other or let them range together during the day and return to their separate coops at night to sleep for a while before you toss them in together.
I’m always integrating juveniles, not mature hens. I usually let mine range together for about a month but sleep in separate coops before I toss the juveniles into the coop after dark so the adults are already on the roosts and will not come off the roosts in the dark to harm them. The next few mornings I’m down there at daylight to open the pop door so the juveniles can get away if they need to. Usually it only takes a couple of early mornings before I’m comfortable they will be OK.
Good luck, I hope this integration goes smoothly for you.
I’ve got a different perspective. I don’t believe the coop by itself or the run by itself is the important factor. I believe the total space available, how it is arranged, and when it is available are all important. When chickens have a conflict it is possible to have fights to the death or one gets seriously injured. But what normally happens is that one pretty quickly figures out it will not win and so it runs away. If it can get away after a little chasing, the fight is over, at least temporarily. Sometimes there is a repeat performance, sometimes not. This is how they sort out the pecking order.
If the loser cannot run away and get away the winner does not know it won so it keeps attacking, usually going for the head. The loser typically tries to hide, often huddling against a wall or fence, and tries to protect its head. This can quickly lead to serious injury or death.
Until they get the pecking order and dominance issues sorted the weaker avoid the stronger as best they can. In addition to having enough room to run away and get away, they need room to avoid. This room to avoid could be pure square feet, it could be in the coop while the stronger are out in the run, or it could be on the roosts if the roosts are high enough so the ones on the ground cannot peck their feet or them. Sometimes mine hide under my nests which are pretty low when my litter is fairly deep.
Sometimes when you integrate, especially fully mature hens, it goes so smoothly you wonder what all the worry was about. Sometimes chickens get seriously injured or die. Normally there is some pecking and bullying but little actual fighting and they eventually work it out and become one happy flock. The more room they have available and the better quality that room is the smoother it goes.
Different hens have different personalities. Some are happy to be a follower, some really want to be dominant. Some are fairly laidback, some are aggressive and will chase and attack a weaker hen with little provocation. Hens that have been the dominant hen in a flock are often reluctant to give up that position. In my opinion that’s where you are most likely to see serious fighting, between the three hens that were dominant in their individual flock.
Are those different flocks ranging together during the day, either free ranging or in a shared run? If they are now peacefully intermingling during the day, even if they stay separated into three different flocks, integration will probably go a lot smoother than if they are total strangers.
I don’t know how many hens from three different flocks you can integrate in that coop. If they have access to additional room outside when they are awake that number goes way up. If you leave them locked in the coop only after they wake up or weather locks them in there, the number drops. If they have places to get away inside the coop (quality of coop space) the number goes up some. Personality of the individual hens makes a difference. Once they are fully integrated the amount of room is less important, but during integration itself, the more room the better. The only way you can find out if it will work is to try but monitor and be prepared to take action if it does not go well.
Whether they are locked in that coop by itself or have additional space outside, different feeding and watering stations can help the weaker eat and drink without challenging the stronger. If you can let them get acquainted with each other before you lock them up together it usually goes a lot smoother. So either house them behind wire a week or so where they can see each other or let them range together during the day and return to their separate coops at night to sleep for a while before you toss them in together.
I’m always integrating juveniles, not mature hens. I usually let mine range together for about a month but sleep in separate coops before I toss the juveniles into the coop after dark so the adults are already on the roosts and will not come off the roosts in the dark to harm them. The next few mornings I’m down there at daylight to open the pop door so the juveniles can get away if they need to. Usually it only takes a couple of early mornings before I’m comfortable they will be OK.
Good luck, I hope this integration goes smoothly for you.
