Introduction of new members to the flock

[dustinheft]

So about 8 weeks ago I got 3 chickens; a Rhode Island Red (Might be a Cockerel), a Barred Plymouth, and an Americana. However, they were back ordered on Salmon Favorelle. Since it was back-ordered, I decided to get 2 so that I wouldn't have a chick brooding solo. My question is since they are going to be a full month apart but neither is laying eggs yet, do you have any recommendations to introducing these 2 new 6-week old chicks to the 10-week old flock?

 

[M-H-Fielding]

I would just let them in with the others for a few minutes at first and see how they do, they should get along after a while.

 

[aart]

Might be able to put them right together.....might not.

Are the older ones out in the coop already?
How big is your coop and run, in feet by feet?
Might want to try one of these setups:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

Here's some tips about.....
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[dustinheft]

Might be able to put them right together.....might not.

Are the older ones out in the coop already?
How big is your coop and run, in feet by feet?
Might want to try one of these setups:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

Here's some tips about.....
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

Yes, the older ones are already in the coop with the run.
The coop is about 30sq ft, 6ftx5ft. I went oversized as im betting my wife will want more.
My feed and water stations for them are very large and they can probably have 6-8 chickens feeding/drinking at one time.
My run is not as large as I want it yet but it is still 10ftx5ft.

 

[Ridgerunner]

That's not much room. It should be OK for five chickens once they are integrated but integration often takes more room. You can try turning them loose and see what happens. Sometimes it is that easy. Sometimes it is not and you need to go through that stuff in Aart's post.

My feed and water stations for them are very large and they can probably have 6-8 chickens feeding/drinking at one time.

How many can eat and drink at a time isn't that important to us backyard chicken keepers. The commercial operators carefully manage how much each chicken eats by waiting until they are hungry, then giving them a limited amount of feed but in feeders where they can all eat at the same time. The bullies are so busy eating until it is gone that they don't run the weaker chickens away and hog the food.

What is more important for us when integrating is often to have two or more separate feeding and watering stations so bullies can't keep the others from eating or drinking. I typically have three or four separate feeding and watering stations but my set-up is very different from yours. You may not need it if just turning them loose works but in your tiny set-up one inside and one outside might be best.

 

[aart]

The coop is about 30sq ft, 6ftx5ft. I went oversized as im betting my wife will want more.

Not sure I'd call that 'oversized'.
Integration works best with extra space.

My feed and water stations for them are very large and they can probably have 6-8 chickens feeding/drinking at one time.

'Big' stations are not as important as multiple stations....with lots of space in between them.

My run is not as large as I want it yet but it is still 10ftx5ft.

Will you enlarge it...soon?
Try to make it wider than 5'.

Oh, and.... Welcome to BYC! @dustinheft
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[Auntiejessi3]

 

[dustinheft]

Welp, that is upsetting, looks like I have been misinformed. I am in an urban setting so I couldn't really go any larger. I was told 2-3sq ft per chicken inside the coop. So that is why I thought it was "oversized". I guess this is a whole learning experience for me. I'll attach a quick photo to this trend to show the coop I built. (be gentle, this is first time I've built something like this, and the photo is crooked not the actual coop)

As for the run, I will be increasing its size soon but it will be getting longer, not much wider. I'm thinking it will be roughly 6-7 ft wide but 18-20ft long.

Aart, I live in Caldwell, Idaho. I am about 30 minutes outside of Boise. We are having warm days and cold nights right now. 65-75 in the day but getting down in the mid-30s at night. The coop is well built so it stays warm inside, as well as, I run a heat lamp throughout the night. I will update my page immediately to show my location, thank you.

I do have blocked off space right now for the nesting area. It's about 6 ft long. Maybe I can section off about 2-3 ft of that for the time being for the little ones to have a sanctuary away from the larger ones? I can also add some Water and Feed setups in there. I have about 3 different feeder and waterers, Ill just add them everywhere for a few weeks, haha

Thank you, everyone, for your input, as I said, I am new to this and I really want to make sure I am doing this the right way. Maybe I should have joined this page earlier.

 

[aart]

Welp, that is upsetting, looks like I have been misinformed.

I'm sorry.
You are not the first to be misinformed, there's a lot of inaccurate info out there.

The coop is well built so it stays warm inside, as well as, I run a heat lamp throughout the night.

At 8 weeks they don't need heat.
Now I'll break you heart a little more.
You don't want a coop to 'hold heat', you want lots of ventilation to allow ammonia laden moist air to escape the coop.
Is the soffit area under the eaves open?
Might want to add some top hinged windows for winter light and summer ventilation.

Is that it's final resting place?
Does the patio roof run off onto the coop?

 

[dustinheft]

I'm sorry.
You are not the first to be misinformed, there's a lot of inaccurate info out there.


At 8 weeks they don't need heat.
Now I'll break you heart a little more.
You don't want a coop to 'hold heat', you want lots of ventilation to allow ammonia laden moist air to escape the coop.
Is the soffit area under the eaves open?
Might want to add some top hinged windows for winter light and summer ventilation.

Is that it's final resting place?
Does the patio roof run off onto the coop?

In the winter, we get well below freezing, so I wanted them to be able to stay warm, I will be adding 2 windows right above the egg door there. Plus I open a chicken door on one side and it gets a decent draft.

The soffits are blocked off but definitely not "sealed" So there is air in and out of them. If it gets bad I guess I could always add an attic vent to the roof. That would be quick and get a good amount of flow. I am yet to do the roofing so I can add that in pretty quick. or I can add some soffit vents as well. It is built a lot like a house with framing and siding so I can modify it pretty quickly.

It is its final resting place and no the patio has zero runoff as it is an aluminum patio cover with gutters. Everything runs off toward the slope side at the broad end.

So you think I should pull the heat lamp? I wasn't too sure as we are still really cold at night and the wind tends to pick up.

Should I introduce the two new chicks at 6 weeks or 8 weeks? They are currently 3 weeks now.