Introducing new chicken

[Cracrachickluv]

Hi,
I currently have 2, 3 month chicken. I want a total of 4, and we're getting one or two new ones soon. How do I introduce them to the flock? Thanks!

 

[RogueUSMC]

I would like to know too. I had a rooster, but traded him for two hens. The 4 I already had are not letting the new girls alone. Have had them for about a week now and would LOVE to know how to get things sorted.

 

[Mrs. K]

It is better to introduce at least two at the same time, introducing a single hen, often does not work well.

To the second poster, who introduced two with some trouble..... are they the same size? If there is a size difference, that can be a serious problem. Be sure and have some hideouts in your run/coup, and some roosts, and multiple feeders and waterers.

Mrs K

 

[Den in Penn]

It also goes better if you can have them in their own pen in the run/coop for a few days, so they can get to know each other while still separate.

 

[MsMuse]

What worked for us was having them in a smaller area along side the main yard/coop after 4-5 days we put them in at the end of the night where they all went in the hen house to roost there was a small pecking order scuffle that resulted in one of the new girls standing her ground, they went to the roosting bars and happy hens in the morning. We have done this 3 times with new hens and have had good results when they have no choice but to share space and sleep a night together.

 

[RogueUSMC]

the two new ones are only slightly smaller. I may try a small run alongside... I do have something we can use for that. Thanks for the tips.

 

[nicnac2112]

I had 6 EE's then my neighbor bought the two roosters and one hen from me (which are now almost 8 weeks old)...I replaced them with another EE and a Barred Rock and a Bantam Cochin (which are about 4 1/2 weeks old)....they have been set in different runs along side of each other...tonight I am going to try and put them all into the coop together....I'm putting the new ones in first for a while and then my slightly older ones....I hope this helps them all settle!... :{