Intruduced 2 new hens after a week of keeping them seperated

[KMHunter]

Quote:
This is the method I am trying. I have a Sexlink that is fine with newcomers for the most part. She doesn't chase and peck for sport. So I have now put the new ones in with her for the next few days or so. The other two, my BO and BR are in seperate cages, one in the barn and one in the garage. They were raised by me together and are joined at the hip. Or were. When one stopped pecking the other would start. It was like a game to them. I am planning on putting them back one at a time into the coop and see how that goes. I other option is to throw then all into the stall(it;s set up as the chicken hostpital) as neutral territory and see if that helps. I love all of the advice on this website. I have learned so much. I was glad to hear that this method worked for you. That gives me hope.

 

[vfem]

I have a chicken tractor that I use to butt up against my chickens run so they can see each other when I introduce them, but I keep them seperate otherwise.

I do keep a separate quarentine pen by my house in case someone looks sick (so far not an issue) or I have a broody I need to keep from getting picked on.

As for guarentining, it is important... I hear anything from 3-4 weeks. There is a post in Chicken illness by PurpleChicken and what can happen when you don't quarentine and you accidently introduce an illness to your flock. Its scary, but its true... you can possibly put your birds at risk and don't even know it.

As for them getting along, it really takes time sweet... I have 2 black hens who when I first introduced them, my sweet dear Muppet was head of the roost and she would beat them up every time they came in or went out of the coop. That went on for at least 3 weeks!

So give it some time, only separate them if feathers and blood starts to fly. They are establishing the pecking order.