I wondered if there was anything I should know about introducing new flock members. I have a flock of 5 and I wondered how I should introduce a few more hens.
First of all, it's highly recommended to quarantine the newbies for 3 weeks to make sure they aren't sick. After that, my favorite method is the ' within sight but separate' approach. I keep the newbies in an area adjacent to or within eye sight of the rest of the flock, so that they can get used to each other but be safe. But some people will just slip the new birds in the coop after dark. It's up to you.
Are your new birds about the same size/age as your existing 5? After you've quarantined the new birds for 30 days, I suggest keeping them separate but where they can see each other - like in runs next to each other. This may not be possible for you, though. Here are some links to other threads on the topic. I searched "introducing new chickens" in the handy search box up there on the right near the top of the page and found these - there are many more threads on the subject if you search. Good luck! https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=225210 https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=84914 https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=2660124
I agree with Kansas...place them in the same coop with wire separating them so they can SEE each other and I did that for at least 2 weeks. Then at night add them on the roost after dark. Be SURE to get out there by day light to see how things are going though. I never had success yet doing this becasue I don't let them just BE. I can't stand to watch the pecking order take form UGH! I just need to be brave LOL I always rescue them and try them with the little ones in my bantam coops. Now I just choose NOT to add anymore. It just drives me insane. I KNOW...Crazy!
Cityclucks, I LOVED how you informed the poster about the search option instead of just ignoring this thread and not helping at all KUDOS to you! AND you took the time to copy some of the threads too Your a great BYCer
Quote:Yo Hangin' - that's what it's all about! The Hokey Pokey isn't everything anymore. (Seriously, thanks for your kind words.)
I just added 6 - 4 month old hens and 1 - 5 month old rooster to my existing flock of 4 - 5 month old hens. I kept the new ones totally separated for 3 weeks and put them all together into the run first thing this morning. This is first they had seen of each other at all. They had the whole day to get aquainted and have all settled into the coop together tonight. There was a little pecking to establish the order, but nothing excessive. Dont stress!!!
I don't have another run/coop to but new additions in - when I added my 2 month old chicks to my group of 5 month olds - I used the see but no touch. First - I put them in the pen with the older ones for a few minutes supervised for a couple of minutes for a couple of days - just to get them outside for a bit while I was separating part of the coop. Once I had part of the coop sectioned off - I put them in - so they could be seen but not touched. After about two weeks, I opened up a small hole in the separation fence so the smaller ones could come out - and get back in when needed without the larger girls being able to follow them. After a few weeks of that - the chicks were large enough and the older ones were more accustomed to them being around I removed the sectioning fence. They still don't "integrate" - but for the most part share their space just fine. It took about a month and a half. I now need to do it again - before the first week of december - I have two more chicks that need to merged with the other girls. the first group I think may have gone easier because of the safety in numbers - Good Luck ! Patience is key.
Well we are taking the plunge of adding a couple more hens. Our original flock which we raised from chicks produced 3 roosters which we re-housed elsewhere. The girls are now 4 1/2 months old and about ready to lay. We now want to replace the roos with a couple of older laying hens. We hope to add a couple of Buff O hens which are older, bigger, and already laying. I wonder if the dynamics will be different since we will add older/bigger hens. Has anyone done this...added older hens to a flock (we have 5) on-the-verge-of-laying hens?
