Integrating flocks!

[mags2009]

Hello, I am new to raising chickens, and new to this forum. We live in Northern Wisconsin, and when we ordered our chickens in June, I wanted several different kinds of good, cold-hearty layers, and I knew I wanted easter eggers for their pretty colored eggs. The EE's were not available at the time of purchase, and I wanted a limited amount, so I just purchased the others that I wanted. That was June 1, and we received them June 3rd. Later I knew I REALLY wanted the EE's so I finally found a place online that my minimum needed only be 3 so I ordered them, and they arrived July 26th. Ok, now how to integrate them. I know I need to wait until they are about the same size, but as of now, I put the chicks in our garden when I get home from work for a few hours, as this is connected to the run and they can all see each other. The existing flock gets REALLY upset when the chicks are near. When they will be big enough to integrate, it will probably be pretty cold here, and they will all have to be housed together in the coop, and my existing flock will have started to lay eggs. (I hope!) ANYWAY, I know this is long, but is there a sure-fire way to integrate? Thanks for your help in this matter.

Mags

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welcome to this forum. Get ready to meet some nice people.

I suggest you check out this site. There are never any guarantees with living animals, but Buff can help improve your odds.

Buff Hooligan’s Adding to your flock
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-adding-to-your-flock

 

[chookchick]

If you can free-range them together, that seems to be the best way. Let them run together whenever you are home to supervise. I have had the best luck in pens with adding onto the pens just before introduction, so the old ones don't "own" the pen. They get really possesive about food, water, space etc...Good luck!

 

[kathyinmo]

This is what I have done. I have 3 flocks. #1 is the main flock of 44, who are 17 wks old. #2 is a trio of 1 yr old Cuckoo Marans. #3 is Silkies of various ages (8 of them). I have 3 separate pens. They all see each other through the fences connecting the pens. I kept them like this for a month, with only the main flock free ranging. Now, I let them all free range. They all go their own way, and each "flcok," stays together. When they do meet up, they just walk around each other. They all go home to their own coop.

That is until tonight .... Tonight I put the 3 Marans in with the main flock at roost time. They were not happy,

but went to bed. Will see how tomorrow AM goes. I think I had better get up early to let them out of the coop!

Good luck!