Introducing new girls-what should I do?

[User395221]

So, I've got 2 new young girls (i was told about 12 weeks). They're in their own little house separate at the moment. I want them to join up with my "big girls" and I was thinking I'd move another girl from the "little girls'" coop in with the big girls, too. (I had the big girls, and then I got some "silly chooks" (belgian d'uccles and other fancy bantams). The big girls were mean to the newcomers so I ended up with 2 separate coops and runs. I then let 2 of my "silly chooks" hatch some babies and the babies are grown up now. One is a black copper maran, so she's a lot bigger than the little girls. I thought she might go better with the "big girls group". The new girls are leghorn crosses.

I was thinking I'd let the new girls out to wander about with the big girls (who come out and wander about the back yard) and hoping that they don't get attacked and eventually they can go in the big girls coop. I've heard that you can sneak them in at night, but I'm worried the big girls will wake up and attack them. They are quite small. Physically, they would come out worse if they got bullied.

How would you approach it?

 

[Pork Pie]

These links may help

http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/introducing-new-chickens-using-the-see-but-don-t-touch-method

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1126547/topic-of-the-week-integrating-chicks-into-an-adult-flock

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1069595/introducing-chicks-to-adults#post_16276224

My advice would be to pick ideas that suit your setup and then devise a strategy

 

[aart]

Not sure if big girls and little girls refers to age or breed size?
Bantams and large fowl often don't mix well.
Might depends on your goals and how big your coops and runs are.

You probably already know this but:
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.

 

[User395221]

Not sure if big girls and little girls refers to age or breed size?
Bantams and large fowl often don't mix well.

Breed size. The big girls were mean to the little girls so they got a separate house and run. All of the new chicks are small (polishxsilkie, pure silkie) except for the one black copper maran who is bigger than everyone else. That's why I was thinking of moving her to the big girls' house, she'll be with "people" her own size and I was thinking of doing it at the same time as introducing the new girls.

The big girls can already see the new girls, when the big girls are out of their run. They don't seem to have paid any/much attention to the new girls (which I'm taking as a good sign, when one of the other girls was segregated at one time, one of the big girls would try to fight her through the run, and she'd try to fight back.)

My back yard is HUGE, there's plenty of room to run away/hide if I let the new girls/black copper maran out to roam with the big girls. The downside of having a huge backyard is controlling any "incidents" that might arise.

I might let them out while I lurk about, watching and see what happens. I just hope nobody gets hurt (including me )

 

[captbridgers]

So, I've got 2 new young girls (i was told about 12 weeks). They're in their own little house separate at the moment. I want them to join up with my "big girls" and I was thinking I'd move another girl from the "little girls'" coop in with the big girls, too. (I had the big girls, and then I got some "silly chooks" (belgian d'uccles and other fancy bantams). The big girls were mean to the newcomers so I ended up with 2 separate coops and runs. I then let 2 of my "silly chooks" hatch some babies and the babies are grown up now. One is a black copper maran, so she's a lot bigger than the little girls. I thought she might go better with the "big girls group". The new girls are leghorn crosses.

I was thinking I'd let the new girls out to wander about with the big girls (who come out and wander about the back yard) and hoping that they don't get attacked and eventually they can go in the big girls coop. I've heard that you can sneak them in at night, but I'm worried the big girls will wake up and attack them. They are quite small. Physically, they would come out worse if they got bullied.

How would you approach it?

Yep, You need a large pen area if they are all out together. My 3 older girls are not very friendly to the young girls. I have approx 1/8 to 1/4 acre fenced in. I still keep both a small amount of food & plenty of water in the area in which they mostly frequent. When I put it out, I still have to linger for a few minutes to prevent the older ones from chasing the younger ones away, even tho they have plenty of food & water & don't use the same areas for dusting, etc. At night, the younger ones wait 'til the older ones have entered the coop & then they enter. Apparently, once it's "coop hour" the older ones aren't so aggressive & allow them in. My coop is small...7feet long 3 feet wide & 5 feet high. Only large enough for 4-6 hens....5 being a better number . Our coop must be locked at night as we have coyotes, 'coons, possums, stray(feral) cats & dogs some people allow out at night.

 

[User395221]

Well, I let the new girls out yesterday. All the big girls completely ignored them. I saw them see them there, but they didn't run over or do anything, they just carried on with what they were doing.

I was encouraged to put the new girls in the big girls' run. Again, they were pretty much ignored. They were chased away a bit, but it was fairly mild, not aggressive. I spread everyone's salad out far and wide so everyone could have some without having to push and shove anyone else (usually I just dump it and they grab some and run off with it). The new girls participated and the big girls let them. It got dark, I went out to see what had happened. The big girls had gone inside and were on the roost, the new girls were huddled in the corner of the run. I picked them up and put them up on the roost and the big girls didn't do anything. It's now morning, the big girls are up and in the run, as usual, and I can see the new girls inside the coop, peering out. But (from a distance) they look normal, bright-eyed and still in one piece. So far, so good.

I also tried moving the maran. That didn't go well. Only one of the big girls was in the run, and she was trying to chase her off. And she wanted to go back in the other run. I put her back with the little girls. I don't think I'll try again, she's ok where she is. I tried to let her out to range with the big girls, she wouldn't come out, she's happier to stay in the run. Fair enough, whatever she wants. (btw, she has the loveliest soft feathers, I had no idea that marans had such soft feathers.)

 

[User395221]

Night 2, put the new girls up into the coop. The big girls had spread out on the roost so there wasn't any room, so they slept on the floor.
Night 3, they got themselves up into the coop by themselves, but slept on the floor.
I need to add another roost in there.