Introducing New Chickens to an Established Flock

[Petite Chateau Poulet]

I have four chickens in my flock. I would like to add two additional hens. How save is it to bring new chickens to an established flock? I have a very small coop that can provide housing for the newbies, but since it is wired, my girls would be able to have contact through the wire. My ladies have a large garden shed, but both the small coop and the garden shed are within a predator proof fenced area. What are the risks with regard to the introduction of possible health issues? I really don't have another place to house them that provides more distance from my ladies and the newbies.
Thanks for any advice.

 

[Mrs. K]

This is a risk. No doubt about it. There are ways to reduce your risks, but not eliminate it. I belonged to another chicken group and their buying chickens at an auction (who had been exposed to who knows what) made my blood run cold.

First - the safest is to do a proper quarantine. MOST backyard set ups, are impossible to do a proper quarantine, and if you don't do it properly, well you may as well not do it at all. You can't cheat at quarantine.

2nd - A lot depends on where you are getting the birds. DO NOT EVER take birds that you feel sorry for. However, if you are getting birds from someone that has a similar set up as yours, if their flock is not exposed to shows, or auctions. And are bright eyed and active. Well generally speaking, most of the time, sorta - you are good to go.

IF you would go into a state of decline if you lost your original birds, pass on this, raise chicks and add them. If your current flock is an extremely expensive flock, or if your area of the world has disease issues, such as in California (I think), then go with chicks.

That all being said, I have numerous times added full grown birds to my flock. It is a risk, there are a lot of people, and a lot of birds that I would not take. But a similar set up to mine, has worked for me.

The risk is real, people have lost the whole flock, but it can also work just fine.

Mrs K

 

[aart]

I guess it's just brood babies all over again.

Here are 3 setups showing how to integrate early, might reduce the brooding and integration stress.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

 

[kiara0927]

Good morning when introducing new girls to a flock I would always introduce them slowly or a fence in between them to separate them but where they can see one another until they get use to each other. If you take a new hen and put her with your flock they will fight bc of the pecking order so introduce them but make sure they can’t get to the new hens then after a few days u will be able to turn the new hens in with your flock

 

[Petite Chateau Poulet]

Thanks. I know about separating for social reasons, allowing them to get used to each other. My greatest concern is about introducing illness into an existing flock. I will be purchasing 8 month old Buff Orpingtons for my flock, which will be purchased from a breeder on our island. Interestingly, both my girls and the girls I wish to purchase all came from the same store on the island, but they have not been in physical contact for 8 months.
Welcoming the observation of others with regard to the safety of bringing chickens to a flock.

 

[Petite Chateau Poulet]

Thanks so much. In my zeal to add one or two chickens, I was ready to buy from a farm fairly close to us. They have dozens of birds, and that increases the odds of disease in their own flocks.
I adore my girls. Princess Margaret Hatcher is like a cat, and if anything happened to her from my negligence, I'd be devastated. I love the other three as well. Empress Sunny is my sweet, sweet darling! Miss Sky Langley is gorgeous, and meany Olive Cruella has her own merits.
I've read many times about quarantine, but with my small, cute coop within the run, I just couldn't get the newbies far enough away from my lady darlings. Even though my girls have their own shed coop, they would still be able to touch through the wire. It's just not worth the risk. I guess it's just brood babies all over again. Ug!