Introducing hens to my coop....

[willisfarm]

Hi there!
So we have a very large coop, currently have 12 very happy healthy hens about 3 months old, and I saw an add for someone needing to rehome 4 of their 3 month old hens due to lack of space for all of them.... i have never introduced new birds, and was curious if it was a bad idea? What would I need to do ? Thank you!!!!!

 

[Top Rooster]

Well since they are the same age you could just put them in the pin with them there will be some fighting but it will be resolved and the pecking order will be disrupted a bit but it will be fine.

 

[willisfarm]

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Well since they are the same age you could just put them in the pin with them there will be some fighting but it will be resolved and the pecking order will be disrupted a bit but it will be fine.

Do I need to be careful as far as possible disease or anything?

 

[Top Rooster]

Ohhh I forgot about that, well you will need to look at them closely to see if they seem I'll then ask the person selling them if they are having a virus spread through their hens

 

[willisfarm]

Ohhh I forgot about that, well you will need to look at them closely to see if they seem I'll then ask the person selling them if they are having a virus spread through their hens

Will they need to be kept separate at all? Or do you think I can just add them right away if I felt they were healthy?

 

[Top Rooster]

You can just put them in if their healthy but do it while they are sleeping on a roost just slip them on the roost next to them that should reduce fighting the next day

 

[Mrs. K]

Do not take anything you are sorry for. There is a real chance of disease. If you would be devastated either financially or emotionally, then do not add the new birds. It can nearly be impossible to correctly quarantine in a back yard set up. You need different feeds bowls, the birds need to be separated by 300 feet, and you should change clothes and shoes between caring for each flock. If you don't quarantine correctly, you are pretending, and may as well not go through the hassle.

However, healthy often does look healthy. (Not always) if you can see their set up, and the other birds look good, it smells clean, the birds are bright eyed and active, those are good signs. I have often taken birds like that and added to my flock.

Good luck,