Introducing new chicks to ONE hen.

[shortgrass]

can i bring this thread back to life?

i have three 5 week old chicks and am realising I have 2 roosters and 1 hen. the roosters will be rehomed in the next few weeks so ill have a lonely hen..

Is it easier with one hen? do i get some hens the same age or 1 week olds to hand raise?

This young, you could probably get away with putting week olds with her... Make sure they have spots to run and hide in case she gets to bullying, but they will all eventually get along. The oldest will most likely be the top hen in the pecking order... The younger they are, the easier it is.

 

[lamhanson]

I had a hard time finding advice on adding chicks to a one hen flock. This thread was the most useful. Here is my experience. We have 9- 5 week old chicks and one 7 year old hen -Lucy (she was part of a 5 hen flock until 4 were killed by a roaming neighbor dog who broke into our coop). The advice I had was ok to have chicks outside at 4-5 weeks on one hand and introduce chicks to existing flock when they are as large as the adult hens (4-5 months??). We only have one coop/run and the chicks were overtaking their indoor brooder. So what we did was bring Lucy into the brooder room on my lap to see the little girls a couple of evenings a week as the chicks were growing up. I also the chicks out near the coop during the day in an enclosure so Lucy could see them then. Now at 5 weeks we put the chicks in the coop towards the end of the day and let Lucy out to roam. She did not seem to interested in the chicks so after and hot or do I let her back in the coop. Besides a few pecks on the head when a chick got too close to her it went quite well. It's been two days and no tragedy so far.

 

[Gamblegirl]

Hi

I'm an absolute, total newbie. Please forgive the novel I'm about to write - this is my first post and I really, really need some good advice. (Plus I have no one else to talk chicken to.)
One month ago, the most I knew about chickens was it's best to buy eggs from the Growers Markets so as not to support the industrialised chicken industry. That all changed one month ago when I was at my Mum's place putting out her bins and I heard some scratching. I followed the sound and found one worse for wear, shabby old chook. She looked tired, the red thing on the top of her head was pale and drooping, and she seemed quite resigned when I picked her up and took her into the back garden (to keep her safe from the dogs and cats that roam the street).
Over the next week we door knocked and advertised on Facebook Lost and Found Pets, but couldn't find her owner. As each day passed, I was secretly hoping that we couldn't find her owner because I'd totally fallen for her

I visit my Mum every day as she suffered a bad stroke 10 years ago, but I got there a little earlier every day to see Little Miss Clux (Mr 12 named her). By the end of the first week, I stopped looking for her owner as she now has me! I think she's an ISA Brown. I have no idea how old she is. She isn't laying, but it's winter here in Australia. The past month here in Perth has been rainy and cold.
Week 2 included buying a coop, hay, feed, making up a scratch/treat for her, hours and hours of googling (and lurking on this site lol), walking around the garden with a stick digging up worms for her - she started following me like a dog. When my car pulled up, she ran to the back door waiting for treats. She's a real darling.
Week 3, the coop came. I set it up and got it ready for her and bought her to her forever home. And then I read that she needed friends.... And that's where my question lies.
Without full knowledge, I went and bought 3 x 12 week old black Australorps. When I got them home, Miss Clux went batshit crazy!!! All she heard was the cheep-cheep from the box - she never even saw them!! I've never heard such a ruckas! She was like a cranky old spinster who hated the sound of teenagers. I put the three pullets in a bigger box and they slept inside that night. The next day, I went to bunnings and I built a temporary coop 3mtr x 3 mtrs, covered, with a big chest as their sleeping coop.
Miss Clux (the old? hen) free ranges all day, and the first two days were hysterically funny. She now, for the most part, ignores them - but I often catch her circling their coop. She no longer carries on like a pork chop, if anything she seems interested in them.. but as I have NO IDEA what I'm doing, I'm a bit fearful of progressing now. I don't want her to bully them, and I especially don't want the three of them bullying her.
What do I do now? Should I introduce them one at a time or should I just let all three out and see what happens? (Once again, my apologies for the long post.)

 

[Mrs. K]

A single hen integration can be one of the most difficult integrations. You do have things slightly in your favor, as she has home territory advantage. The young ones have the more birds advantage.

The best would be to turn them all out into the garden. Integration should have plenty of room. Set up hide outs, and multiple feeders and waterers. And give it time. They may not become a true flock until the young ones begin to lay.

I am a bit worried about your boughten coop. Many times those darling coops say they can hold more chickens than they can. Not enough space causes quite a few ugly behaviors in chickens. Measure your coop.

Mrs K

 

[Ingrid49]

Hi, I have a miniature horse and goat. But we have a Sheed that we store our hay in. Hear is what I need help with, or neighbor has gage free chickens and one deceited to come in to our hay barn she laid an egg about 5 feet high on the hay and deceited to sit on it, well two days ago there was a pip and she has a baby chick. I am so scared that this chick will fall of? I don't know how she will get it down or up! I placed a water feeder and food feeder near and today I saw her eat.
What shall I do? She is a free chicken and does not let us come near......please help, please help
Ingrid

 

[catandmilkart]

We are in a similar situation. We lost 3 out of 4 birds to a fox. Tomorrow we have the opportunity to get some baby chicks, but I'm worried to introduce them to our remaining hen, who is not currently broody. Thing is, she has raised 3 batches of chicks herself in the past. Maybe she is so lonely she would start mothering again? However, she also has a history of not getting along with new big birds, and she is at the top of the pecking order. Very nervous! We aren't set up to house baby chicks-- our hen has always done all the work.

 

[bobbi-j]

We are in a similar situation. We lost 3 out of 4 birds to a fox. Tomorrow we have the opportunity to get some baby chicks, but I'm worried to introduce them to our remaining hen, who is not currently broody. Thing is, she has raised 3 batches of chicks herself in the past. Maybe she is so lonely she would start mothering again? However, she also has a history of not getting along with new big birds, and she is at the top of the pecking order. Very nervous! We aren't set up to house baby chicks-- our hen has always done all the work.

If you are not set up to house baby chicks, I would not get them. If your hen isn't broody she could well kill those chicks. If you want flock mates for your hen, I'd suggest getting POL pullets or adult birds.

 

[Staceyglendoon]

Hi guys. Sorry to hijack your post but i am in a similar situation only my last hen is only 10 weeks old i dont want her to be lonley but not sure if i should get some baby chicks and do the whole brooder process again or if i should get some about the same age or older?

 

[OceanSpaulding]

Please I need this thread to come back to life. This is my first time having chickens I originally had a flock of four and a predator got in a got 3 of the four. Right now Lavander is by herself and she is 9 weeks old. I got two other chicks for her who are 5 weeks almost 6. How do I add the too each other? The chickens have been taking daily trip to her run where they’ll see each other for 2-3 hours before I take them back in. They’ve also. Been raised in cages next to each other for 3-4 weeks. I want to have the chicks live In the coup with her this week does this sound like a good idea or should I wait longer?

 

[NatJ]

Please I need this thread to come back to life. This is my first time having chickens I originally had a flock of four and a predator got in a got 3 of the four. Right now Lavander is by herself and she is 9 weeks old. I got two other chicks for her who are 5 weeks almost 6. How do I add the too each other? The chickens have been taking daily trip to her run where they’ll see each other for 2-3 hours before I take them back in. They’ve also. Been raised in cages next to each other for 3-4 weeks. I want to have the chicks live In the coup with her this week does this sound like a good idea or should I wait longer?

Given what you've described, I would put them all together and watch what happens. They will probably be fine. (If they are not fine, you can pull her back out and let them keep living side-by-side for longer. But I do not think you will need to do that.)