Introducing new pullets to flock

[bwebster]

Good morning! My wife and I are considering adding 4 pullets to our flock of 5 barred rocks. Either EE or Buff orpingtons. I have a couple questions hopefully someone with more experience may be able to help with...

1) I have a small (smallll) coop that is 3x4 (see photo below... little red guy in background.). If I attached that to the far end of my set up, and put a divider in the run, would that work for a slow introduction? Any tips on how to introduce?

2) Are EEs and BOs compatible with grown BR hens? They are just about a year old. Pullets would come at 4 weeks and we would put outside when temps permit.


We don't want 9 birds, only 7-8 so we will cull one or two. I've had bad pecking issues over the last few months due to stress and lack of space. The set up in the photo is as of yesterday. Just built a 12' run extension. Current run/coop dimensions are; Run - 18' x 5.5', Coop 6'x8'. Will adding new birds, and culling 1-2 rearrange the pecking order?


Thanks!

 

[hannah and the chickens]

Hi!

So you want to use the red coop for the new chickens and divide the run in the middle? I think that is a good idea so they can get used to each other from afar at first.
When I introduced two new chickens to my two Bielefelders, I wasn't able to offer a second coop. I always made sure that everyone went inside in the evening (sometimes the older hens would block the door). Additionally, I offered feed and water in multiple places outside and in the coop so that everyone would be able to reach it.

In general, introducing new chickens always messes up the pecking order and at least for me it took nearly four weeks until a solid pecking order was established. Unless the chickens are seriously hurting each other or one individual chicken is always kept from feed and water, you'll have to let them sort themselves out.
The young hens will probably be bullied at first, they have it a bit harder when you're introducing them to chickens that are already laying.

 

[CreveChris]

We are building a 200sqft [edited typo] coop currently and have a brooder and chicken tractor. Our 7-8 week old hatchlings from our flock were incubated (Crevecoeurs don't go broody) and live in the laundry room.

So while the flock free ranges, the pullets and cockerel enjoy the tractor. After a couple of hours, the original flock goes into the tractor and the hatchlings go back into the brooder. They all get to be around one another under the protection of hardware cloth on the tractor.

in the new coop, it is easy to partition an area using hardware cloth and 2x4s for the hatchlings until they are as large as the rest of the flock, in a couple of months.

A chicken tractor allows pasture grazing with predator protection while also separating the hatchlings from the flock. It has served us well and I suggest this investment.

Here's a video of how it works on our little farm:

 

[The Cave]

Separate by fencing for first week 100% so they get to know each other in a safe manner. I just introduced 5 pullets to a flock of 5 older chickens (1 EE rooster). I was introducing 5 Barred rocks at about 16 weeks old with, two 3 y/o RIR hens and two 6 month old EE in an 8x10 coop. I expected my RIR to be b*tches because they always have been but I was shocked my EE hens were even being mean at supervised socializing hour!!!

I just took the fence out a few days ago and it was a much better time after a week of fence mingling....but the barred rocks are still pretty low on pecking order but thankfully no injuries. I have tons of separate roosting options as well in the coop for night time and a run for during the day I made sure was open first thing in the morning and closed it at dark

 

[bwebster]

Thanks everyone. I'm actually leaning towards just making a removable divider that will section off the farthest 1/3rd of the run, and gradually introduce. Put the pullets in there for a few hours, then back in the brooder, and build that up. Not sure I want to deal with cutting and attaching the little red coop if it'll only be in use for a short time. (We want to convert that for bobwhites anyhow).

It is still (sigh) very cold so we won't have the pullets for another 45 days or more.


Another question: Is it true the best time to put new birds (after being gradually introduced) into the coop at night? Do the existing hens just wake up with newbs and think they've always been there?

 

[aart]

Do the existing hens just wake up with newbs and think they've always been there?

Not usually.
Like @bobbi-j sez: "chickens aren't the brightest animals on this planet, but they're not that stupid."


Aren't you already having pecking issues, you have couple posts out there.
Your run extension might solve for the birds you already have, but I would not add more.

 

[bwebster]

Not usually.
Like @bobbi-j sez: "chickens aren't the brightest animals on this planet, but they're not that stupid."


Aren't you already having pecking issues, you have couple posts out there.
Your run extension might solve for the birds you already have, but I would not add more.

I tend to agree with you. My concern is constant egg supply. When these I have now start to molt, won't they shut down? They're all the same age. About 12 months.

 

[Ridgerunner]

1) I have a small (smallll) coop that is 3x4 (see photo below... little red guy in background.). If I attached that to the far end of my set up, and put a divider in the run, would that work for a slow introduction? Any tips on how to introduce?

I consider that an excellent plan. House them across wire for a while before you give them an opportunity to mingle. I'm not sure how soon you want to get quail though. I'd house them in that small area until they go to sleep in that small coop at night on their own but for a week minimum, two weeks probably better. You mention a slow introduction, don't get impatient.

When you are ready to let them mingle, try it when you can be around to observe. I open things up in the morning so they have all day to get used to the changes. You might even try the safe haven/panic room concept, have a way the young ones can get back to that small coop area but the bigs cannot follow. That could be cutting holes in your dividing fence or maybe just cracking the gate a little. That way the young ones can get away from the bigs if they need to.

It's possible your young ones will eventually move into that big coop with the big girls at night on their own, I've had that happen. But not often. After they have peacefully fully shared that run space for a month with no safe haven/panic room, I move them in. I close up their small coop so they cannot roost inside and physically toss them in the new coop after it is pretty dark. They are pretty easy to catch and it is too dark inside for the older birds to attack the young ones. I just toss them on the coop floor and let them worry about finding a place to sleep in the dark. They manage, usually forming a group to sleep on the floor. It doesn't hurt them. They are not injured. They are not traumatized. My adults won't let them go to bed on the main roosts with them anyway so they'll need to find a different place to sleep. You can try putting them on the roosts if you want, it wont hurt them either as long as it is too dark for the older birds to attack them. I don't care where they sleep as long as it is predator proof and not in my nests.

Then I'm down there first thing the next morning, as soon as it is light enough for the older ones to be a danger. I keep doing that in the morning until I consider it safe to leave them locked in there together for a while. That's practically always only one or two mornings for me but I don't know what your coop looks like. I typically find my juveniles up on the main roosts in the morning while the adults are on the coop floor. My roosts are high enough that the adults can't peck them from the coop floor. Not sure if yours will be that high.

When I make the move I permanently lock up the juvenile coop so they cannot go to bed in there. Most of the time the juveniles automatically go to bed in the main coop after that first time, but sometimes I have to lock them in the main coop after dark a few times before they get the message. Each brood is different.

Is it true the best time to put new birds (after being gradually introduced) into the coop at night? Do the existing hens just wake up with newbs and think they've always been there?

I guess I do lock them in together at night so they wake up together, but I only do that after they have peacefully roamed together during the day for a month. They are not strangers, they have gotten used to being together. And I do check early the next morning.

2) Are EEs and BOs compatible with grown BR hens? They are just about a year old. Pullets would come at 4 weeks and we would put outside when temps permit.

As compatible as other Barred Rock would be at that age. Don't get hung up on breed. The issues are age difference and whether or not they are strangers.

 

[hannah and the chickens]

Another question: Is it true the best time to put new birds (after being gradually introduced) into the coop at night? Do the existing hens just wake up with newbs and think they've always been there?

I know many old breeders who like to introduce new chickens that way, but if at all possible you should give the new birds some time to get to know the coop without the older chickens running after them. Otherwise, they won't know where to go in the morning if the older hens decide to peck and bully them.
For me it worked to wait until the older hens laid their eggs, then let them in the run and put up a divider so they couldn't go inside or directly infront of the coop. The new chickens had time to explore the coop and the space directly around the chicken door. In the evening, when I let the older hens back inside, I never experienced bad fights (I guess because it was always too dark already). After that first day, I made sure to open the chicken door at the time of sunrise so that they have as much space to avoid each other as possible.

 

[bwebster]

Thanks everyone for the input. We shall see what happens. May wind up waiting a while to add more birds, if at all. I've had pecking issues so I think it may be best to see how the current flock adjusts to the bigger housing they have for a few months.