Integrating two new hens

[Padorna23]

Hey guys, so I know this has probably been discussed before but I currently have 3 hens and my neighbor is looking to get rid of their two as they are moving. How hard is it to integrate them together? I do have a small coop that my neighbor will give me as well that I plan on setting up directly next to my coop/run. It’s one of those tractor supply setups small coop and small run. Not sure how long I should keep them separate before actually introducing them.

 

[All4Eggz]

@aart is great with integration

 

[black_cat]

First, with any new birds, you have to do a quarantine to make sure they’re not bringing diseases or parasites into your flock. I believe that 30 days is recommended.
After that, use the see but don’t touch method. Keep them separate but next to each other, and try to put their feeders and waterers near the border so that they can get used to each other. Do this for a week or two, then, if you ever free range, try letting them out together. If not, either (supervised!) take down the border, or at night, plonk the new hens in the old coop so that they all wake up together.
Hope this helps!

 

[aart]

Is your coop big enough for all the birds?

You might not need to quarantine if they've lived next door and both keepers have visited.
But....
Consider biological/medical quarantine:
BYC Medical Quarantine Article

....and here's some tips about.....
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/

 

[Padorna23]

Is your coop big enough for all the birds?

You might not need to quarantine if they've lived next door and both keepers have visited.
But....
Consider biological/medical quarantine:
BYC Medical Quarantine Article

....and here's some tips about.....
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/

Thank you for this, it’s very helpful… my coop is 6x6 with a 14x6 run… I originally had 5 birds in this area but a raccoon took out two. After lots of hardware cloth and reinforcement I’m ready to bring more back in. I was going to wait until next spring but this opportunity just kind of popped up. The birds have never been together before and I do know that the person I’m getting them from has only had these two for a while now so I’m not terribly worried about disease but will still quarantine for a bit to be sure.