Introducing Older Chickens to younger ones

[debsgirls6]

My sister-in-law wants to give me 4 two year old hens to add to the 6 11 week old chickens I already have. I don't know how to go about introducing them, I don't have a very big coop or run and I don't want the older ones to hurt my younger ones. Sure could use some insight into this matter before I take the older chickens.

 

[midget_farms]

The best way I've found to introduce new birds to an established flock is to slip the new birds in after dark. Chickens can't count - so if they wake up with more chickens than they went to be with they don't really notice.

They will re-establish the pecking order so there will always be squables - but usually nothing serious so long as you have 2 things -

1) the birds need to be old enough to take a good smack from the top hen. As she establishes dominance she can give a pretty good lick - so your 11 week old birds are just barely in that range - but they should do OK.

2) space to run away. The older hens will no doubt be dominant - so they will pick on the younger ones a little. It starts off with a dirty look & if the lesser hen doesn't go away with the look the older hen takes that as a threat to her dominance so she will move to pecking, biting & chasing. If the chicks have the space to run away they will & problem solved. If they dont - they will get pounded.

 

[debsgirls6]

Thanks for the info...you mentioned "room to run away" - there isn't that much room, and you said they could get pounded! That doesn't sound to good! I think I will have to decline the offer of the chickens and just let mine do their thing, they are getting along and they have just enough room. Thanks for the insight though!

 

[midget_farms]

Probably a good idea if you are short on space - this is what we like to call chicken math - you start with 2 or 3 & then you have 5 or 6 & soon you have 30 or 40 & have to park outside because they have taken over the garage!

Space is the #1 thing to consider - usually in spring & summer there is enough room because they have the run area - winter can be a problem though because the hens can't always go outside in the snow - so consider the size of the coop when they are locked in for a week during the worst weather - that's the measure to decide how many chickens to have - how many can fit in the coop & still get along if they are locked in for a week.