Introducing new hens.

[jaywin]

Hi
So I got myself two cross Orpington’s yesterday to hopefully go broody and hatch chicks.
original plan is to keep them in quarantine run for a week - came from a lovely homestead with lots of healthy birds
Then two weeks in a coop and run within my main big enclosure so my established flock could get used to them. Then one night after two weeks lift them into main coop and roost along side main flock. Expect a bit of chasing next day etc but hopefully all ok.
however day one in quarantine and one is looking broody already!
My question is if I let her sit eggs in the introductory coop within the main run so my flock see her and her chicks, plus the other hen I got at same time, will the flock be ok if I then let her and her chicks into main enclosure when chicks are about three weeks old.
the two new ones will never have actually been to roost with the main flock or foraged through the day with them so I am asking if I could do this with them when she has three week old chicks?
Or should I persist in stopping her going broody until she has been introduced to the main flock and lived with them for a few weeks. I intend to let her sit eggs in main coop with a barrier to stop others laying in her box but so she would still be within the flock. Once chicks hatch she would go back into smaller coop and run within the main enclosure so still able to be seen by main flock but protection from others for chicks for a few weeks. I would then open run door and let mum take chicks out to forage with flock through the day.
clear as mud!
hopefully you get the idea. Any experience appreciated xx

 

[LizzzyJo]

I am kind of doubting that she is being serious about broodiness. With a big move and shake-up like this, I would take broody-type behavior as being more moving stress than actual hormonal broodiness. Test her out for a few days first. If she is broody, then I think your plan of separation and then incorporation with chicks at 3 weeks would work. Of course, monitor the introduction closely.

 

[jaywin]

I am kind of doubting that she is being serious about broodiness. With a big move and shake-up like this, I would take broody-type behavior as being more moving stress than actual hormonal broodiness. Test her out for a few days first. If she is broody, then I think your plan of separation and then incorporation with chicks at 3 weeks would work. Of course, monitor the introduction closely.

Hi
Thank you, it never occurred to me that this would be due to the move! If that’s the case I’ll just wait as I really would like to integrate them into the flock first. However good to know you think she’s be ok with chicks to integrate should I end up doing that.