Introducing Single Pullet to Flock

[texaschick84]

I have three hens a little over a year old. A couple months ago, we got three chicks to add to our small flock. We were in the process of integrating the young ones with the older ones. We put the smaller coop next to the large coop so they could see each other and let the young pullets out in the evenings or when we were around the yard to free range with the older hens.

Today, a neighbor’s dog broke off the chain his owners kept him on and killed two of my young pullets. Now that I have only one young pullet (10 weeks old), how can I introduce her with the older hens? I’ve integrated flocks before, but always in groups of three or four.

 

[sourland]

I'd introduce the hens to her in her pen one at a time over a period of days/not hours starting with the most mellow hen.

 

[ClickityChick123]

Make sure they can at least see each other so it's not completely new for them. Hopefully less pecking.

 

[Mrs. K]

One of the things is territory. So when you have the pen next to the big coop, the big girls think the coop is their space, and the young one think the cage is their space.

So when you put the young bird in the old girls territory, she feels like you would if you just stopped in a neighborhood and walked into someone else's kitchen. You don't belong there, and everyone knows it.

I would add to sour lands advice. I would let the big girls out into the yard, and lock the little one in the coop/run by herself. Feed along the fence. Close to dark, put everyone back where they are suppose to be. Do this 2 days. On the third day, put one of the big girls in with the chick, letting the others out. See how it goes. If it is a disaster, try a different bird. One on one, is way better than trying to add one to three.

Then on the second day of that, late afternoon, let everyone out into the yard and watch. If that goes well, there is a good chance that the chick will follow them into the coop. She may not roost with them, but she may go there.

Mrs K