Introducing new hen.

[Isabella_animale]

Hi everybody. I have a small flock of 7 chickens. 2 are big barnyard mix hens and are 24 weeks old. Then I have a 10 year old (I know she's old lol) sebright bantam hen, a 19 week old sebright bantam hen, and a 19 week old sebright bantam rooster. Recently I got two more chicks whom are now 8 weeks old, they are both female, one is a polish and the other is a chochin. They are not yet instroduced to my flock of five because they are so young. I am just wondering, how old should they be when they are instroduced? And will I have problems with the polish because she is different than the others?

 

[Callender Girl]

I'm impressed that you have a 10-year-old!

Introducing new chicks is more an art than a science, I think. Because it depends on the temperament of both sets of birds. I worry more about size than age when I integrate new girls. I have tried the old suggestion about putting the new birds in a cage within the others' coop so they can look but not touch. Or so I thought -- until I saw a bloody-faced older hen.

And, while I think chickens do seek out their own breed, maybe because they better recognize them, I brooded a Speckled Sussex, a Welsummer and a Midnight Majesty Maran together successfully. As the grew up. the Sussex and Maran had no problem with their three Buckeye coop mates. The Welly is the lowest hen on the pecking order and will always have a naked but.

So. my long-winded advice is to try it as soon as you think the youngsters won't be overly bullied, but keep an eye out for them. Good luck