Introducing new pullets...

[DebD]

I throw pullets of all ages and breeds together all the time and no issues. They will work it out pretty quickly if everyone is under 6 months or so. Introducing hens (year plus) to other hens is a different story, that can get nasty. But under a year- I just toss them all together and let them figure it out- and they always do with no casualties ever.

Thanks for the encouragement! First-time chick mamma but ""daddy is even more worried than I am! I was just going to introduce them when the babies are 3 months old and let them go. Now the responsibility is on my shoulders! Ha! Lots of great advice from ya'll!

 

[DebD]

So, would it be best to get two of every breed I get so no one is singled out? I was going to get one Buff to ensure I have a broody chicken (that's their reputation, anyway) but maybe I should have two to be safe? I am SO overthinking this...but that's what happens when you're in quarantine and have time to do research and think...

 

[aart]

So, would it be best to get two of every breed I get so no one is singled out? I was going to get one Buff to ensure I have a broody chicken (that's their reputation, anyway) but maybe I should have two to be safe? I am SO overthinking this...but that's what happens when you're in quarantine and have time to do research and think...

Demeanor is more down to individual birds rather than breed....tho there are exceptions.
RIR can be aggressive, BO might go broody, no guarantees either way.
Other breeds can be aggressive and broody.
I had a dark Brahma that was a terror, and a mixed Marans that that was a serial broody.

I guess you could just 'toss them in', works for many, but a Plan B should be on deck.
Space is the most important thing, crowding causes more problems.
I like to intro chicks to the flock young, takes some setup and might not work for your ages.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

Some tips about.....
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.
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[BaaKaaawk]

So, would it be best to get two of every breed I get so no one is singled out? I was going to get one Buff to ensure I have a broody chicken (that's their reputation, anyway) but maybe I should have two to be safe? I am SO overthinking this...but that's what happens when you're in quarantine and have time to do research and think...

I think you're worrying too much about breeds / putting too much emphasis on that. A chicken is a chicken just like a person is a person. They may have stereotypical traits, but each has it's own individual attitude regardless of what breed it is. To assume a Buff is just going to be magically broody because it says that online is completely false, just like assuming an Easter Egger is always going to go wild and fly your coop.

You should get breeds based on things you want. They look pretty to you, they lay eggs the colors you like, they *may* be nice birds. But a chicken, when it sees another breed- sees a chicken and that's it. They're going to fit them in their pecking order and move on.

 

[Acre4Me]

So, would it be best to get two of every breed I get so no one is singled out? I was going to get one Buff to ensure I have a broody chicken (that's their reputation, anyway) but maybe I should have two to be safe? I am SO overthinking this...but that's what happens when you're in quarantine and have time to do research and think...

no, not necessarily. We’ve had to get rid of our All three of our Dark Brown Leghorn girls bc the rooster HATED them...kept them from food, water (we made sure they ate and drank), chased them to peck them (not mate them)...etc. and all the chickens at that time were all the same age and were raised from chicks together. And we had several breeds together. But, that’s the exception.

Some people notice that a much lighter or darker bird (compared to the flock) gets picked on more. We had a light EE that seemed to maybe get picked on more (but not excessive), so when we bought chicks again we bought some light colored ones so there would be more light colored ones in the flock. Can’t tell If that worked or just simply bc now there were younger birds that got all the negative attention.

now we have nearly 9 week old chicks: 3 BO, 3 EE, 3 Welsummer, 3 Light Brahma, and one male Red Dorking. They still sleep in the brooder but are in the run the whole day with the flock. They still have a safe area to access. However, now that they are bigger (especially the light Brahmas), the smallest of the older hens can squeeze into the safe area while the LB chicks have to also squeeze their way in and out! Lol. some of the older pullets/ hens stake out the perimeter of the safe space and chase the chicks, peck the chicks and even grab tail feathers and hold on (so chicks is running, but not going anywhere). It’s improving each day. Chicks stay away from older one’s as best they can, and defer to the older/higher pecking order ones as they should. Since no one is being aggressively picked on, attacked or kept from food/water, I let them figure it out.

 

[DebD]

Demeanor is more down to individual birds rather than breed....tho there are exceptions.
RIR can be aggressive, BO might go broody, no guarantees either way.
Other breeds can be aggressive and broody.
I had a dark Brahma that was a terror, and a mixed Marans that that was a serial broody.

I guess you could just 'toss them in', works for many, but a Plan B should be on deck.
Space is the most important thing, crowding causes more problems.
I like to intro chicks to the flock young, takes some setup and might not work for your ages.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

Some tips about.....
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.
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

Thank you so much for taking to time to type all this out! This all makes sense. I really appreciate the links, also. Will forward them to my husband so he'll relax about getting other breeds. I'm sure, even if we have only RIRs, we could have issues. This forum is such a treasure. I really appreciate all of ya'll!

 

[DebD]

I think you're worrying too much about breeds / putting too much emphasis on that. A chicken is a chicken just like a person is a person. They may have stereotypical traits, but each has it's own individual attitude regardless of what breed it is. To assume a Buff is just going to be magically broody because it says that online is completely false, just like assuming an Easter Egger is always going to go wild and fly your coop.

You should get breeds based on things you want. They look pretty to you, they lay eggs the colors you like, they *may* be nice birds. But a chicken, when it sees another breed- sees a chicken and that's it. They're going to fit them in their pecking order and move on.

Thanks for the pep talk! You're right. So many articles on breeds will rate the breeds' personality or broodiness and that's what I'm trying to go with, although we had a flock of Dominiques who were all so different in personality, etc. And they came from the same clutch. So, like I said before...too much time to think. (And a concerned husband!)

 

[DebD]

no, not necessarily. We’ve had to get rid of our All three of our Dark Brown Leghorn girls bc the rooster HATED them...kept them from food, water (we made sure they ate and drank), chased them to peck them (not mate them)...etc. and all the chickens at that time were all the same age and were raised from chicks together. And we had several breeds together. But, that’s the exception.

Some people notice that a much lighter or darker bird (compared to the flock) gets picked on more. We had a light EE that seemed to maybe get picked on more (but not excessive), so when we bought chicks again we bought some light colored ones so there would be more light colored ones in the flock. Can’t tell If that worked or just simply bc now there were younger birds that got all the negative attention.

now we have nearly 9 week old chicks: 3 BO, 3 EE, 3 Welsummer, 3 Light Brahma, and one male Red Dorking. They still sleep in the brooder but are in the run the whole day with the flock. They still have a safe area to access. However, now that they are bigger (especially the light Brahmas), the smallest of the older hens can squeeze into the safe area while the LB chicks have to also squeeze their way in and out! Lol. some of the older pullets/ hens stake out the perimeter of the safe space and chase the chicks, peck the chicks and even grab tail feathers and hold on (so chicks is running, but not going anywhere). It’s improving each day. Chicks stay away from older one’s as best they can, and defer to the older/higher pecking order ones as they should. Since no one is being aggressively picked on, attacked or kept from food/water, I let them figure it out.

Have to laugh picturing your chicks! Isn't it eye-opening when you think about how often we can be just like chickens when it comes to other people's differences? This is such an adventure for our family and we spend lots of time outside with our flocks. I can't wait to get more chicks and start studying the different breeds. Thanks for your insight and experience. Helps a lot.

 

[BaaKaaawk]

Thanks for the pep talk! You're right. So many articles on breeds will rate the breeds' personality or broodiness and that's what I'm trying to go with, although we had a flock of Dominiques who were all so different in personality, etc. And they came from the same clutch. So, like I said before...too much time to think. (And a concerned husband!)

I think you need to get that husband of yours focused on building a coop, or fixing the sink, or fixing something...

 

[derb]

We purchased 2-3 of 8 breeds all raised together. In the end 1 Easter egged, 1 lavender Orpington and 1 olive Egger survived with Rhode Island reds and buff Orpingtons. They all get along fine. But maybe because whole flock is diverse