Introducing a New Chicken to the Flock

[Miss Sue]

Hey, everybody. In one week I lost two Barred Rocks to a fox or coyote and then a neighbor found a stray chicken and gave it to us. He thought it was ours, but it's a different breed entirely. I'm not sure what. It's reddish brown with some black-tipped feathers around its neck.

In addition to the new one, I have two 6 month old Blue Orpingtons--a rooster and a hen. I think the new little one is a hen, but am not sure. She's much smaller and looks younger than the Orpingtons.

I have not put the new chicken in with the others. I've set her up in a cat carrier and put that next to the main Eglu run each day. Whether or not the three see each other, I'm not sure. At night I put the new chicken and the carrier into the garage. I don't want anything to get her. $$%%&* foxes.

What is the best way to introduce the new hen to the other two? Any advice is appreciated. I'd like to keep all three together eventually.

Susan

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

quarentene for 2-4 weeks. then slowly introduce her. if you free range put her out there with them and supervise

 

[JenniferJoIN]

I hope your ntroduction goes better than mine.

We used lattice to seperate the coop into two different areas so that the 16-weekers and 8-weekers could get used to seeing each other. They can also free range together. It's been 2 months and the bigger ones still pick on the little ones.

There will be pecking, but everything should settle down. I recommend supervising for a while to see how they interact.

 

[Pinenot]

I haven't ever introduced just one...I would think they would have to do the whole pecking order thing before all is good. I have introduced several at a time and they still do the pecking order for a couple of days and then all is well.

Let us know how that works for you.

 

[Miss Sue]

Thanks for the advice. I will keep them separate for a while. I'd like the little one to grow some, too, because the Orpingtons are big.

The little one relaxes when she's near the others (but in her separate carrier), so that's good.

Susan