Integrating chickens

[StarOnFire59]

All the best! I wii be getting 3 more in June & trying to figure out the add & subtract. My Betty is the main one I worry about. She may end up a lonely bird. She definitely prefers her own company to the company of others. We call her Betty the Bully.

 

[Mountain Granny]

I have 9 of the 6 months olds. They have been living 4 in one pen 2 orpingtons, 1 Sapphire and 1 silky. Next to that pen was 5. 3 americanas and 2 sapphires. They pecked one of the americanas feathers out of her lower back so I put her in a place of her own but she's healed up now. She does have a beak that doesn't close all the way. I was wondering if maybe that's why they picked on her. Then I have 2 barred rocks and a austrolorp separated due to bald backs. They are all feathered out except one barred rock. I separated her from her sister thinking maybe they were pecking each other. Those 3 are about 2 years old. They all ( including the 6 month olds) are where they can see each other. Right now my roo and 3
orpingtons all live in their own coop and run.there is a fence separating the 2 runs. I can leave my opinion roo and his girls in there for now. Maybe I should try to put the 2 year old astrolorp & 2 year old barred rock in with the roo & girls they are all the same age. I for got I have a 2 year old orpington & 3 8 month old hens in another coop with a run. The orpington hatched those chicks. My goal is to try to get them all in the big coop and run together. Thanks for any advice. These guys are like my babies. Lol I want to do this as best as I can !!

 

[Mountain Granny]

Sorry if I double posted!! I was at work using my phone and Im terrible at technology !!!!

 

[debid]

Do you let the groups out of their pens? If they are able to interact out where nobody can get cornered, you can hang around and see how they act together. That's a lot safer for them than introduction in an enclosed space. Put food where they can all get to it, see if they will eat together or if some take over the dish and chase the rest away. I wait until they are eating together in relative peace before I push them to sleep in the same coop. It isn't always smooth as silk after that but it's far better than what happened when I tried sneaking some in.