Introducing new pullets

[EvansMeXo]

Hello! I'm currently in the process of rehoming 3 cockerels. As they go I want to be replacing with almost really to lay pullets. I don't want to do the chick route again until next spring.
People who only have one coop and free range how do you introduce new birds to existing flock?? Mine are about 3-11 weeks old. I know I'm supposed have them separated so they can see eachother but can't attack but I can't figure out how this is going to be possible with my set up?
Any and all advice is welcome, thank you

 

[timothyyoung]

We just fully integrated our two new pullets. We got them March 21st and just this week have successfully started keeping them 100% with our other 3 hens and 1 roo. They spent the last 8 weeks in a separate "cage" inside the coop, but were in the run during morning with the older chickens. We only had issues in the evening when locking everyone up, but now that is over too. We read so much about integrating and tried it all, but in the end time and a combination of everything was worked for us.

 

[aart]

I know I'm supposed have them separated so they can see eachother but can't attack but I can't figure out how this is going to be possible with my set up?

Then you might need to change your set up to accommodate an integration.
Can you post pics of your coop, and give the size(s) in feet by feet??

Keep in mind, that bringing in older birds carries the risk of also bringing in pests and disease. Good quarantine needs even more accommodations.
Consider biological/medical quarantine:
BYC Medical Quarantine Article
BYC 'quarantine' search

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.

 

[EvansMeXo]

Then you might need to change your set up to accommodate an integration.
Can you post pics of your coop, and give the size(s) in feet by feet??

Keep in mind, that bringing in older birds carries the risk of also bringing in pests and disease. Good quarantine needs even more accommodations.
Consider biological/medical quarantine:
BYC Medical Quarantine Article
BYC 'quarantine' search

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.

They will be free range we don't have a run yet, we're planning on having one before winter hits to give them some snow free space, the coop is only 8X4 (not including nesting boxes and the "upper level" of roosts) next year we will Be building another coop to add to our flock.
Maybe I can add chicken wire mesh to one end so the new pullet (I'll only be introducing one at a time as I get rid of the cockerels) so the new ones will be laying/close so I could put off a small area for them where they have access to the nesting box and when the others free range I'll take it down so they have the whole coop (until they've done the 2 weeks of coop lockdown before free ranging)
Is there anyway that would work? I could buy a small cage to put in there but I don't feel like I could fit a big enough one in there to be fair to the new pullet/ exsiting flock

 

[aart]

That coop looks hard to access the inside and not really big enough to partition off part of it. Partitioning off the nest end would be the best bet, tho it's gonna be tough with how the framing is. You might seriously consider waiting until next year when you have the new coop built to accommodate in an integration area, and a run to keep them safe if needed. Think about a separate or split run off the integration area too.

(I'll only be introducing one at a time as I get rid of the cockerels)

I strongly advise against the 'one at time', hardest integration is a single bird. Get rid of all the males and bring all the new females in at the same time, get it all over at one go.

How many birds total are we talking about here?

 

[timothyyoung]

EveansMeXo, my coop is also 4x8. When in introduced my nes pullets I made a 2x4 "cage" to put the new babies in at night. It had all 4 sides and a top, all I had to do was lift it up to access food water and let the babies in and out. It wasn't big by any means, but it worked well. I let the big hens and roo out of the coop in the morning into the run with the new pullets, then about noon the older birds got released to free range and the babies stayed in the run. The babies went to the coop and run at about 10 weeks and now at about 17 weeks are 100% integrated, so about 7-8 weeks in the little cage.

 

[EvansMeXo]

That coop looks hard to access the inside and not really big enough to partition off part of it. Partitioning off the nest end would be the best bet, tho it's gonna be tough with how the framing is. You might seriously consider waiting until next year when you have the new coop built to accommodate in an integration area, and a run to keep them safe if needed. Think about a separate or split run off the integration area too.

I strongly advise against the 'one at time', hardest integration is a single bird. Get rid of all the males and bring all the new females in at the same time, get it all over at one go.

How many birds total are we talking about here?

So far it looks like I'll be replacing 4, maybe 5. The reason I was going to do one at a time as they go is I will not be getting them all from the same person, I have specific breeds I wanted so as they turn out to be cockerels I'll need to replace that breed and I've yet to find someone who has more than 2 of what I'm looking for lol it makes things more difficult but I'm trying to get an egg of every colour/shade

 

[aart]

The reason I was going to do one at a time as they go is I will not be getting them all from the same person, I have specific breeds I wanted so as they turn out to be cockerels I'll need to replace that breed and I've yet to find someone who has more than 2 of what I'm looking for lol it makes things more difficult but I'm trying to get an egg of every colour/shade

You're setting yourself up for difficult integrations, not to mention quarantining.

I'll reiterate:

You might seriously consider waiting until next year when you have the new coop built to accommodate in an integration area, and a run to keep them safe if needed. Think about a separate or split run off the integration area too.

 

[lazy gardener]

Aart nailed it. Bringing birds in from multiple sources and adding one at a time is setting yourself up for the possibility of introducing disease into your flock. many of these diseases are lethal, and once they have entered your flock/land, they are either forever prevalent in your land, or will remain in your flock and infect any new birds in the future unless you cull the entire flock. Also, introducing a single bird at a time is extremely stressful for that bird. I strongly recommend that you consider the most humane treatment for your flock instead of doing the candy store approach. (I want one of every kind.) Wait until you are set up to be able to introduce your birds all at once.

 

[ronott1]

It is very important to Quarantine new flock members for 2 to 4 weeks to make sure they are healthy. During that time, worm them and treat them for lice and mites

You would not believe how many people infect their flock by not quarantine correctly.