Merging Two Flocks This Week

[Malita]

We decided we couldn't wait on our 3 babies (just now 20 weeks old) bantams to start laying eggs so we added 4 full grown (~1 yr old) large laying hens. We brought them home Friday night and put them in the run. There was some squawking but the banties were a bit intimidated by the shear size of the new girls and the new girls were shy in their new home. The pecking order was established quickly the next morning with Tiny, my smallest bantam, pushing the largest new girl off the perch. They don't quite flock together yet as one bantie will have nothing to do with the big girls. So my poor rooster runs back and forth between the two groups trying to herd them together.

 

[Malita]

We decided we couldn't wait on our 3 babies (just now 20 weeks old) bantams to start laying eggs so we added 4 full grown (~1 yr old) large laying hens. We brought them home Friday night and put them in the run. There was some squawking but the banties were a bit intimidated by the shear size of the new girls and the new girls were shy in their new home. The pecking order was established quickly the next morning with Tiny, my smallest bantam, pushing the largest new girl off the perch. They don't quite flock together yet as one bantie will have nothing to do with the big girls. So my poor rooster runs back and forth between the two groups trying to herd them together.

 

[adgcountrygirl]

In April, I will have had my first group for a year. I added a few more girls to the flock that were about the same age right after my first 2 hens started laying. Even now though they have been in the same flock since August, you will see Jasper peck another hen if she gets in Jasper's space. I've never seen Jas actually chase another hen around, but she will let the other girls know if they are pushing the boundaries. It's like a chicken soap opera out there! And so much more addictive than anything on TV these days!

 

[morsekathan]

Wow, I didn't read this before putting my new chickens all together. I lost my four hens to a raccoon - evil beast, doesn't even eat them - and bought two 1.5 year old bantams, three 12 week and one 8 week mixed breed chicks to replace the flock. Put them all in the coop and shut the door for two days so that they could all get used to their new home. The bantams were there for a few days before the chicks came, but everyone seems to be getting along just fine. They free range in a large pen for now, until I start to let them out to the yard, but the bantams kind of stick together and the other four run in a pack. The 8 week old chick just sort of tags along. And everyone goes at dusk to go to bed. That was my favorite part, as I didn't know if the little guys would know to go in. They seem really happy.

 

[Red Barn Farms]

I have various breeds of chickens too and my barred rocks seem to be the meanest of the flock when introducing new ones. It's been three weeks and my barred rocks still want to peck at the RIR's when they come around. My RSL's only pecked at them a few days now all is ok between them.

Editing to add:

It will be interesting when my black copper marans and Australorps join the crowd. That will happen next month!