Introducing New Chickens

[FettuccineAlfredo]

We have 5 chickens that we have had for a couple months- still not laying. We wanted to add more chickens before those got too old. We just got 5 new chickens. The new ones are in dog cages on our screened in porch. We have looked the new ones over and they all came from good situations. What should we do? All of the original chickens are free ranging. Can we put some of the other chickens in the coop or let them out too?

 

[azygous]

Chickens need time to adjust to new surroundings. If you want the new ones to adapt to your coop as "home" and to return to it to roost at night, you need to confine them to the coop for a minimum of 24 hours before turning them loose to free range.

Also, they need to adapt to the original flock. Exposure should be safe for both groups to minimize conflict. Then free ranging them together is a good way to give them all the space they need to work out their relationships between individuals of both groups.

 

[FettuccineAlfredo]

Chickens need time to adjust to new surroundings. If you want the new ones to adapt to your coop as "home" and to return to it to roost at night, you need to confine them to the coop for a minimum of 24 hours before turning them loose to free range.

Also, they need to adapt to the original flock. Exposure should be safe for both groups to minimize conflict. Then free ranging them together is a good way to give them all the space they need to work out their relationships between individuals of both groups.

Okay. Then we won't let them out to free range together for a while. Thanks!

 

[slordaz]

I would recommend the little ones be put in the coop with the others after a couple of weeks isolation in their cage for at least a night to see how the others react to them, this will give them time to get to realize these belong there, then see how they react letting them out together. I started letting mine out around the coop while the others were out free ranging to let them learn the coop and where they could hide if need be. As you know there will be pecking order to establish, it's usually easier if there are at least equal numbers in both groups from my experience, but ultimately you need to decide what works best for you and your chickens

 

[alexa009]

Free-ranging usually works best for me when introducing new flocks. I tried the crate and behind the fence and has never worked. I've kept a couple new chickens in a crate with the others for about 3 weeks and when you let the new ones out, it seems that the rest of the flock is eager to attack and fight with them more. I think free-ranging is a better solution, my flock seems to get along with it better.

 

[flyin-lowe]

Most will recommend to keep them quarantined for 3-4 weeks. The stress of the move could weaken them. The new birds could catch something from the existing flock or the new birds could carry something in to the existing flock.
Last year I added 5 new ones to my existing flock. I would let them free range at different times of day but they never had contact with each other. After 4 weeks I let them all free range together a few times then put the new ones in the coop. The first night or two a couple of the new ones were not allowed on the roost poles but after a day or two they all worked out fine ad integrated nicely

 

[aart]

We have 5 chickens that we have had for a couple months- still not laying. We wanted to add more chickens before those got too old. We just got 5 new chickens. The new ones are in dog cages on our screened in porch. We have looked the new ones over and they all came from good situations. What should we do? All of the original chickens are free ranging. Can we put some of the other chickens in the coop or let them out too?

I hope your coop is big enough for 10 birds.
Dimensions and pics would help immensely.
Free ranging will help them get acquainted safely with all the 'get away space',
but they still will need to share the coop, and that can be where you run into trouble.
Do you have a run too...or only free range?
Keeping the new birds in the coop, or coop and run, while the other birds range can help the newbies explore the coop unharassed by the existing birds.

Here's some tips on...
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

 

[aart]

Oh, and......
Where in this world are you located?
Climate is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, then it's always there!