Lonesome hen looking for company.

[featheredbelles]

Okay, she's not looking for company, but I am down to one single hen and am thinking about getting 2-3. She's about 18mos old and a barred rock. She's not very nice towards us humans, but let's hope she likes poultry company. Question: any recommendations regarding age and breed of the new chickens to make introduction as smooth as possible? Any other advice for integration? Always went well in the past, but she's a rambunctious little one!
Thank you in advance!

 

[Peeps61]

If you are going to add new birds, they will outnumber her. The closer they are to the point of lay, the easier of a time the new girls will have. The older hen will dominate, but once all of them are laying, there will be some changes in the pecking order, and all of them should settle down and get along. My flock is multi-generational and the older birds are the queens of the flock, for the most part. The younger birds are all laying now, so they all have a spot in the pecking order and can get along in the coops during the evening.

 

[featheredbelles]

Thanks so much, that's super helpful! Had no idea it's in connection to them laying.

 

[aart]

Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, tho some info is outdated IMO:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

 

[featheredbelles]

Thanks!!