Introducing Pullets WITH Pullets

[peckermom]

I have read many threads about introducing chickens with older hens, but I can't find anything about introducing pullets with pullets. We purchased 4 'pullets' three months ago, but one turned out to be a cockeral. We can't keep him. We would like to replace the cockeral with another pullet or two or the same age. Our girls are 11 weeks old. Are they still young enough that we will only have minimal disruption or should I still take all the precautions of putting these girls together, i.e. separate them, but allow them to see each other, etc? Please let me know your experiences.

Thanks for everyone's help and ideas!

 

[chicken-whisperer]

My method is to let them free range together and watch the interaction. It seems to be easier if they are the same breed, but in a neutral setting the oldies are more distracted and the newbies won't end up with their heads in the corner.

 

[Kevin565]

Chicken Whisper plan is a good one. It will give everyone more space to run in case of too much rough housing.

 

[ButchGood]

I have 11 cockerels that are 2 weeks old this Wednesday, and 16 6 week olds in the coop. I plan to build a small run in the large run and put a small temporary shelter in it. Like a crate or something. I'm going to keep them together but separated by a chicken wire fence for 2 weeks. Then I'm pulling the temp. fence and shelter out. The older chickens will be 8 weeks old and the young cockerels will be 4 weeks old. The Cockerels wont stay very long. As soon as they are at a good weight the will be butchered. If things get to unsettling for the egg layers Ill have to build a bachelor pen. This method has worked in the past for pullets, I hope it will work for a bunch of Roo's

 

[hunter109]

ethier way you go they are going to pick on them to set a new pecking order well i put mine in the pen with my big girls and around a month they will get use to each other

 

[cindylo]

I had only one chick survive the cold. Mom and babe have been separated from the rest of the flock ( 1 roo and 2 RIR hens) bith a hardware cloth mini run inside the main run. Broody Mom is going a little bit nuts and "baby" is now feathered out 8 weeks old. Everyone has seen everyone else through the wire. The run enclosure is 10' X 10' with two small chicken cooplets, feeders and waterer. Can I safely let everyone mingle together yet?

 

[lawatt]

i'd like to revive this thread, to ask a similar question: i'm totally new to chickens, just got two 6-week old cuckoo marans pullets a week ago, and yesterday they moved into their brand new coop+run (hooray!) -- and on monday i'll be picking up an australorp pullet of the same age from a friend. given that there are only three, and the coop will be new to all of them, do i need to take extra precautions in introducing them to each other? i understand that chickens need to establish their pecking order, but i'm not sure there IS one yet, given that it's a new home & their numbers are very low.

i was also toying with getting a fourth pullet of the same age, & mixing them all together -- would that be likely to help avoid a single one getting picked on, or would it cause too much chaos?

thanks much for any ideas you might have!
laura

 

[Fred's Hens]

i'd like to revive this thread, to ask a similar question: i'm totally new to chickens, just got two 6-week old cuckoo marans pullets a week ago, and yesterday they moved into their brand new coop+run (hooray!) -- and on monday i'll be picking up an australorp pullet of the same age from a friend. given that there are only three, and the coop will be new to all of them, do i need to take extra precautions in introducing them to each other? i understand that chickens need to establish their pecking order, but i'm not sure there IS one yet, given that it's a new home & their numbers are very low.

i was also toying with getting a fourth pullet of the same age, & mixing them all together -- would that be likely to help avoid a single one getting picked on, or would it cause too much chaos?

thanks much for any ideas you might have!
laura

Believe it or not, yes, there is already an established pecking order. Integration has its issues, regardless. It'll work out, as it almost always does, but don't underestimate the chicken. They know their brooder mates, very, very well and everyone else and anyone else is an intruder.

 

[bobbieschicks]

In my brief year of having chickens, I've gone through the introduction phase several times. The success each time has hinged on two things 1. Plenty of time for both groups to hear and see each other through a wire before coming close and 2. Providing lots of space and hiding places when the merge happens.

Chickens are smart and they know who is who. Moving someone new in will result in pecking order stuff happening. However I've noticed most of them figure out pretty quick who is in charge and how to avoid getting pecked.

Whether you're introducing one or twenty, the process is the same. Keep them separate but close or a few weeks then allow them access to each other, but with plenty of room to run and avoid getting pecked.

 

[lawatt]

thanks -- they have lots of room, they are living in a 8x4' coop within a 8x12' enclosed run -- and i realize that integrations take time & i'm prepared to keep them separate as needed, but i guess the question really is, is same-age/size 2+1+1 any "better" than same age/size 2+1?

(i'll have to do it all over again in a month or two, as there will be some younger chicks on the way -- but one step at a time!)

thanks,
laura