Integrating New Chickens

[CarieLovesChickens]

Hello,

We have 5 one-year-old Buckeye hens and last week we began integrating 3 6-month-old Cinnamon Queen Pullets. For the most part, when roaming free, the hens leave the newbies to themselves. The newbies have no desire to mingle and I doubt the hens would let them join their party even if they wanted to. The problem is, when they're not able to free-range like today when it's raining, the hens still kinda pick on the newbies and in the run and the newbies stay perched in the coop. Do I have a problem or will they eventually join the hens in the run?

 

[Smileybans]

How have you been integrating? There’s a method a lot of chicken keepers use dubbed the “look but don’t touch” method. It’s really exactly how it sounds. The new chickens stay where the main flock can see them but not touch them. This ensures the newbies don’t get picked on. I’m actually using this method now with a cat too.

 

[neo71665]

Search the look no touch method. You can't just dump a new flock into an existing one. They will never get along in one coop. Free ranging they will do fine because you have two different flocks and they will stay that way as far as they can away from each other. Might pain you to keep them locked up on pretty days until they accept each other but if you want one flock you have to overcome their natural instincts. Otherwise you gonna have to build another coop and have 2 flocks.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Photos of coop and run? If they're ok while free ranging it might be you just need more clutter in the run, more feeders/waterers, and/or more space while they're "cooped up."

 

[neo71665]

Photos of coop and run? If they're ok while free ranging it might be you just need more clutter in the run, more feeders/waterers, and/or more space while they're "cooped up."

Totally forgot about that (blame it on the beer, old age, or both). Measurements of the coop and run while they are locked up are helpful also.

 

[CarieLovesChickens]

How have you been integrating? There’s a method a lot of chicken keepers use dubbed the “look but don’t touch” method. It’s really exactly how it sounds. The new chickens stay where the main flock can see them but not touch them. This ensures the newbies don’t get picked on. I’m actually using this method now with a cat too.

 

[CarieLovesChickens]

Hello,

We have 5 one-year-old Buckeye hens and last week we began integrating 3 6-month-old Cinnamon Queen Pullets. For the most part, when roaming free, the hens leave the newbies to themselves. The newbies have no desire to mingle and I doubt the hens would let them join their party even if they wanted to. The problem is, when they're not able to free-range like today when it's raining, the hens still kinda pick on the newbies and in the run and the newbies stay perched in the coop. Do I have a problem or will they eventually join the hens in the run?

 

[CarieLovesChickens]

We did the Look but don’t touch method for about a week. I have identified the two hens asserting dominance and I think I can jail those two or return to the look but don’t touch method. Not sure which avenue to exercise.

 

[neo71665]

When ya quote somebody make sure the cursor is in the white part of the reply under the blue quote box.

It often takes more than 1 week. When I do it I do one month. Test it for a day to see if it worked, and if not do a 2nd month. Most of the time 1 month is fine.

 

[aart]

We did the Look but don’t touch method for about a week. I have identified the two hens asserting dominance and I think I can jail those two or return to the look but don’t touch method. Not sure which avenue to exercise.

Takes more than a week.
Not sure I would restart the 'see no touch' scenario.

But really.... show us your coop and run, with dimensions,
and I'm sure we'll come up with some solutions to try.