Introducing Two Flocks To Each Other??????

[chayton]

I have two flocks of chickens. I hatched 10 Americaunas in November, and then I hatched 10 Silver Laced Wyandotts in December. Ameracunas 9 weeks/SLW's 6 weeks.
How should I go about putting them all together in one big run and coop?

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
I've been reading "Raising Chickens for Dummies" Willis and Ludlow (cover to cover!) and they recommend the following: "If you can move all the birds to new quarters, old and new, less fighting will ensue. Another way to introduce new birds is to put them in a cage or enclosure next to the old flock members for a few days. The old birds can let them know who's boss without actually harming them. ... If you can't pen newcomers nearby for a few days, put them in the pen at night, after the regular flock has gone to bed. Then keep a close eye on the flock in the morning. Or release new birds into the shelter area of a coop after the old birds are let out to do a little free roaming.
Expect some fighting, and don't interfere unless a bird is injured and bleeding. The flock is establishing a new order, and after they all know their places, the fighting will cease. Remove any bleeding birds because they may be quickly pecked to death. ...
Keep an eye on newcomers for a week or so and make sure they're getting to the food and water. If they stay huddled in a corner, you may have to remove them." pg. 193

Hope this helps!

Gratuitous egg-collecting photo with my daughter in the middle of a snow storm.

 

[BeardedLadyFarm]

Most will disagree with me I bet, but I'd just dump 'em all in there! I was building my flock for months last year, and had all ages. from 6 weeks to almost 20week. I had no bloodshed. Just provide some hiding places and a couple feeders and waterers. A bale of straw or two make good hiding places.

Of course, keep an eye on them to make sure nobody is getting brutalized. 6-9 weeks is still in that awkward phase for all of them. Adolescents will always be cruel.

If they really are having trouble, build some sort of temporary screen so they can all see each other, but not get to each other. After a week or so, the novelty should have worn off.