introducing a new hen to my girls...

[chickensrun]

I am trading my roo tomorrow ;( for a 6 month old hen and she will be my 3 other girls. Potential for problems? Should I get 2 new girls so they might be friends if the other 3 decide to be indifferent? I am not looking forward to a day without my roo, he is wonderful but too noisy for my area. He was supposed to be a hen!

 

[bburn]

Two is what I understand.

I have five in isolation now. They will go in with my roo that is by himself now but in at least three more weeks. I have read and read. When the 30 days are up...no sign of illness, no sign of mites or lice, then I will put up a temporary fence in the roos run. He can see them now but they are all the way across the garden. He chatters at me everyday after I have fed and watered him and visited with him a bit. Then on to the other flock. After everything is taken care of I go see to the new girls. The Lone Rooster starts chattering at me again when I start taking care of his girls. They are in two different small tractors.

I am dealing with a little bit of an age difference as well in the new girls. Three pullets around 18-19 weeks. Then two hens around 18 months. One of the two hens was terribly mean to the pullets....the other ignored them. So I took the pullets out to give them time to grow and get older.

My plan is to put the nice hen in with the pullets when time is almost up after letting them free range together a few days. Then when it is time to go to the big pen I will put up a temporary fence inside the run and let them have a few days of 'seeing' each other and one day I will take the fence down. Hopefully everything I am doing with make the transition easier for all involved. My goal with the mean hen is to leave her by herself for a while before putting her in with the others...again with the fence between her and the others for a few days. Then I will see how that works out....if it does not she can just live in the chicken tractor.

They need time to be isolated so if there is any illness it will show up. Then they need to see each other for a while. Then they need to be introduced slowly. I hope and believe (for now) that this can make it easier for all involved.

I know they are just chickens...lol...my husband tells me everyday. I am probably only able to do mine this way because he is working out of state for now!

 

[Dixiedoodle]

I would get at least two hens, isolate them for 30 days. While they are in 'lock-up', dust them for mites, worm them and watch them for any illness.. After you are sure they don't have any illness, then you can place them in a cage near the the older girls, so they can see them but can't pick on them.. After a few days, let them free range together and after a few days, try letting them in the coop together.. keep an eye on them.. Good luck...