Integrating new chicks (from another farm) with my chickens

[Ibesupermario]

Hi all. I have 5 Rhode Island Red all within a weeks age of each other. Some might be sisters or cousin but I got them from a lady selling them. I’d like to expand my flock and wanted to know if bringing in chicks from another flock/farm would somehow be outcasted by my current flock. I have some girls who can be moody to other girls but normally it’s just a peck or two than the argument fizzles. I’d hate to bring in young chicks and see them get attacked. Does anyone have experience in this?

 

[Ibesupermario]

My 5 girls by the way will be a year old in April.

 

[Ruby Rogue]

There is lots of information on BYC about proper integration. I would section off a part of your coop and prevent them from physically interacting with each other for a while. Once the chicks are ready to free range and the girls are used to seeing them, supervised time together will determine whether or not you need to keep them separate until they are all the same size.

 

[Ibesupermario]

There is lots of information on BYC about proper integration. I would section off a part of your coop and prevent them from physically interacting with each other for a while. Once the chicks are ready to free range and the girls are used to seeing them, supervised time together will determine whether or not you need to keep them separate until they are all the same size.

I was trying to find info but couldn’t find a thread. Would you know of what the thread is titled?

 

[Ruby Rogue]

If your question is specific to chicks from a different farm, the integration process will be no different than if they were chicks you hatched yourself.

How old are the chicks you are getting? Are you brooding them in the coop or in your home?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Integration is a matter of space (how big is your coop and run? any clutter in the run? how many roosts in coop and how long are they?), giving them all time to familiarize themselves with one another (often called "See but don't touch" - where the two sides can see each other with a fence but not hurt each other), and spreading out resources such as food and water so the existing flock can't guard them from the new birds.

Some bullying is normal and as long as no one is badly hurt or unable to eat/drink, I would consider it a successful integration.

If you're starting off with chicks, how are you planning on brooding them? Young chicks raised in view of the adults can often be integrated early with a panic opening type set up. This is my article on early integration, which works up to around 8 weeks of age (at which point the chicks outgrow the chick sized panic openings: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/short-on-time-recycle-a-prefab-brooder.73985/

 

[aart]

How old are the chicks?
I like to integrate early:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

But you might want to consider biological/medical quarantine:
BYC Medical Quarantine Article

Always consider....
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[GrandmaKatnip]

I am very interested in getting as much information as I can on this topic. We have 22 layers, (2 years old). Our friend wants to give us his 11 (one year olds). I surely am not sure how to do this safely. We free-range on our 3 acre site. Our coop has 10 nesting boxes and plenty of room for that many...but..I understand that I need to integrate slowly. Any advice appreciated.

 

[aart]

plenty of room for that many

How big is your coop, in feet by feet?
No run?
A run can help with integration, while the new birds 'home' to the coop.

I understand that I need to integrate slowly. Any advice appreciated.

Read the 2 posts above yours.