Introducing new chicks to a flock

[NattiFan]

Just looking for some ideas on the best way to introduce new chicks to an established flock. I have 5 girls that are about a year old and I'm thinking about getting 4 new chicks soon and adding them once they are big enough to be outside. I tried last year to toss a girl in there that was 4 weeks younger than mine and my girls didn't want any part of her and were pecking away at her. Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[cubalaya]

try slipping them in at night while they are roosting. they will still have a pecking order but it might be easier on them. also let them free range the next day if you can.

 

[ILikeChickens1978]

We've done this a couple of times. At around 6 weeks we put the chicks in a cage/fenced off area next to where the older chickens were. We also put a couple of the older chickens in the fenced off area with the chicks for an hour so (with us watching and referring). After about a week of this, we let them all intermix. We watched for the first half hour to make sure it didn't get too violent. The pecking order still had to be reestablished but we didn't have any injuries. I'd say it took about a week once they were all together before the pecking stopped.

 

[NattiFan]

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Thanks. I heard this being done before. I guess I'm just a nervous daddy. Thank you

 

[NattiFan]

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Thank you for your ideas

 

[babyrnlc]

I have two coops attached to the same run (a top coop and a bottom coop). We put the 5 week chicks in the bottom and the first few day we had the entrance completely blocked off. Then a couple of days ago, I opened it to the run, but with a small enough opening that the big hens cannot get in (though the 10 week old chick has decided she is one of them and squeezed in and hangs out with them. She is super nice to them and cuddles with them. She looks funny in there because she is twice their size and they are blue EE and she is a barred rock lol). The chicks go out occationally and run into the coop if the big ones come close.

I plan on doing that with the 3 week old chicks when they can be without a light. The have two heat lamps on them in a brooder in the shed. If it warms up a little more, I will go down to one and then eventually one at night and then take it off.

 

[dichotomymom]

I use a mesh cage (for when they are ready to actually be in the coop) so the older girls can see them for a few days and then I release them to the rest. Never had a problem.

 

[N&MSchroeder]

I agree with all of the above responses and want to add that I think it will be easier to introduce a group rather than one chicken to your established flock. They will be less able to single a chicken out. Good luck!

 

[NattiFan]

N&MSchroeder :

I agree with all of the above responses and want to add that I think it will be easier to introduce a group rather than one chicken to your established flock. They will be less able to single a chicken out. Good luck!

thanks. I'm thinking about 3 or 4. I have 5 now..so the numbers will be almost even​

 

[HighNDryFarm]

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