Introducing 8 week old pullets to 20 week old pullets/hens.

[farteaga45]

Hi everyone,

I have a question and would love information and suggestions. I currently have two pullets - a 16 week old Cream Legbar and a 15 week old Olive Egger. I’ve only had them for a little over a month now. I will be getting two more pullets April 23rd - they will both be 8 weeks old (Copper Maran and Salmon Faverolle) and at that point my pullets will be about 20 weeks old and possibly laying. I was wondering how to go about introducing the two groups of hens. Will they take to each other more quickly because they are all younger or will there be the same challenges regardless of age. Is 8 weeks old too young to introduce pullets to other pullets/hens? The person I am getting them from is the same person I got my first two from and they said that I should have no problem introducing them and that at 8 weeks they should be able to hold their own. I am just worried that they may be too young, my first two didn’t get more of a hen sounding voice until 12 weeks old, should I wait until these new pullets are 12 weeks to ensure they can hold their own and establish a pecking order with the existing hens? I don’t have a separate space to properly quarantine them, but I got them from the same person and I trust that they will be healthy. This also poses a problem if say they don’t get on immediately. Is there any good solution to that - like keeping them separated in the run from the older hens and then putting them on the roost with the others at night? I’m grateful for any advise or help!

Thanks!

 

[aart]

Is 8 weeks old too young to introduce pullets to other pullets/hens?

No, but I prefer to integrate really young.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

I don’t have a separate space to properly quarantine them, but I got them from the same person and I trust that they will be healthy. This also poses a problem if say they don’t get on immediately. Is there any good solution to that - like keeping them separated in the run from the older hens and then putting them on the roost with the others at night?

That might work.
How big is your coop and run, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would help immensely here.

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/