Introducing Hens...Best way to do so...

[Teresaann24]

I have a hen who has been broody and is now ready to rejoin her color pen. My girls like to fight each other they all think they are the head lady. I use to have a divider in my pens but have taken that out to widen cages. My question is how do I introduce her back to her girl-friends without fighting. Could I place her inside the pen in a wire pet cage for a week? Where they can see each other but cannot fight? I am really needing the space to start on some breeding projects so any advice would be great.

 

[gryeyes]

I use small kit coops for grow-out purposes and integration into the flock, which would be not all that much different from re-introducing a hen to the flock, I guess.

A dog house would work as well, with a temporary personal run (within the whole run) made of chicken wire and garden stakes. After the period of time housed there, just pull up the stakes and chicken wire fence and put your hen back into the coop.

I've never "re-ntroduced" a current member back into the flock, just new youngsters or new hens given to me from others. But two weeks works for the chicks and a week worked for the hens. They get their own waterer and feeder. Separate but equal.

 

[NYRIR]

I have done this with new chicks,new chickens and also ducks.I found the chickens were more accepting than the ducks...at least quicker to accept.I think you have a good idea with the pet carrier thing.

ETA: I bet since she is being RE-introduced vs being a newbie, they'll probably accept her quicker than if she were a "stranger"... I hope

 

[Teresaann24]

thanks for the advice If weather permits today I plan on moving her in her temp quarters till she is accepted back in.

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

I have a buff orpington named Momma who has gone broody twice.


Both times she just joined right back into the flock as if she had never been gone at all. And the others took her back, as if they never noticed she was gone.


I don't know if it works so smoothly for others, but it was no problem at all returning Momma to her flock mates.