Introducing solo new chicken - terrible idea???

[noellegrace]

Hello!

We have a new hen, Miranda, who we love dearly. When she is healthy and done isolating we are hoping to introduce her to our current flock. She is in their run or our fenced in garden, so our current flock can see her but not get to her. She is the same age and size as our other hens. We are hoping to avoid getting another hen but I am seeing that it may be a terrible idea to try to introduce her to our flock by herself. Is it possible to put one of our smaller hens from our current flock in with Miranda for a couple of weeks and then they could go back into the flock together as allies?

 

[Perris]

hello @noellegrace - welcome to BYC

Is it possible to put one of our smaller hens from our current flock in with Miranda for a couple of weeks and then they could go back into the flock together as allies?

yes, it's a good idea. But finish the isolation first, to reduce the risk of cross contamination if either bird is carrying something that would challenge the health of the other. You say of your new hen

When she is healthy

is she ill? injured? if so, with what?

 

[Fieldsfive]

Hello!

We have a new hen, Miranda, who we love dearly. When she is healthy and done isolating we are hoping to introduce her to our current flock. She is in their run or our fenced in garden, so our current flock can see her but not get to her. She is the same age and size as our other hens. We are hoping to avoid getting another hen but I am seeing that it may be a terrible idea to try to introduce her to our flock by herself. Is it possible to put one of our smaller hens from our current flock in with Miranda for a couple of weeks and then they could go back into the flock together as allies?

I'm curious to know if Miranda was accepted into your flock. I am in a similar situation with introducing one hen we know & love to our flock of 4. Same ages, same sizes. Been using the See, No Touch method (except for an occasional grapple between the wire with each other) for 6 days now. It stresses me out tremendously to watch the new one, Ghost, have a battle of claws & beaks with another of my flock. I'm wondering if it's worse with a barrier between them because no one can ever "win". Should I just throw them together & be ready to separate them if they won't on their own? *I hate the bloody comb outcome.* And when, exactly, does the fighting become too much? For me it's all too much.
Thanks for any advice.

 

[Iluveggers]

I'm curious to know if Miranda was accepted into your flock. I am in a similar situation with introducing one hen we know & love to our flock of 4. Same ages, same sizes. Been using the See, No Touch method (except for an occasional grapple between the wire with each other) for 6 days now. It stresses me out tremendously to watch the new one, Ghost, have a battle of claws & beaks with another of my flock. I'm wondering if it's worse with a barrier between them because no one can ever "win". Should I just throw them together & be ready to separate them if they won't on their own? *I hate the bloody comb outcome.* And when, exactly, does the fighting become too much? For me it's all too much.
Thanks for any advice.

I think the previous idea of putting a docile hen in the current flock in with her to give her an ally for a few days is a good idea. See how that goes, then try a second hen for a day. When you put her in, she will have “friends” and might not stick out as much as a new member of the flock. I would try to do the full integration when someone is there to supervise and intervene if it get too much.