Introducing new flock.

[khrystianp81]

I just moved my 10-12 week old mystic onyx hens outside to their new coop and run. I need to move one hen from my original 6 that consist of 1 hen and 5 roosters (lucky me!!). What is the best way to do this? Should I move over the 1 hen and 1 rooster from the original 6? I'm rehoming the other 4 roosters but they will remain in a bachelor pad away from the hens with their own coop and run.

 

[Tonyroo]

Rehome the roosters first, then evaluate where the adults and chicks need to be at. Sound like you have 2 coops which will help.

I would leave the rooster in his pad, move the single hen with the chick but do a integration for 3 weeks between them. So there's no blood shed among them

 

[Mrs. K]

I would make sure the new run has a lot of clutter. Hide outs, pallets, platforms, shelters, mini walls, boxes, ladders, saw horses, just a lot of stuff that birds can get out of sight.

The fact that there are a lot more chicks than older birds, and the chicks will have a bit of territorial rights. Chasing and pecking is a lot of work, and the old ones will get tired of it. With a lot of littles, that will spread the pecking out and they will be quick, catch on quick.

A lot of people run into real problems when they add a couple of chicks to a larger number of established flock, in the flocks coop. The chicks are out numbered, in a strange place, and everyone thinks they need to get a peck in.

Do make sure you have multiple feed bowls scattered out in the run, hidden behind things.

Mrs K