Integrating New Ones

[Heartforchickens]

Is it possible to integrate young chicks with older hens? If so, what is the best way to do it? Also how to integrate full grown hens with older hens? Thank you for your advice.

 

[Robo]

Chicks and juveniles should not be with mature birds, but you can section off part of the coop for them so the other chickens will be used to them when they are old enough to be together. If you are putting new adult birds into an established pecking order there will be some territorial fighting. I would move them all to another pen for a few days so nobody owns it. When they move back to their old pen they won't be as territorial and acting like it's their coop.

 

[jbowyer01]

We have always kept our chicks separate for safety but that just might be us. As far as new hens, we put them with the older ones at night. Just placed them on the roost, everyone shuffled around and complained a bit because I had disturbed them. It seemed to make things a little less traumatic for the birds. They did still have the pecking order thing happen but just not as bad. I also did mine over the weekend so that I was home to make sure nothng really bad happened. After a couple of days all was well.