Mix in 25 new chickens??? Is it OK??

[sms1225]

I currently have 13 Silver laced wyandottes and 12 RIR's, they are 9 months old. I would like to get another 25 chicks this spring, I have such a demand for my eggs!!

What do I need to know about eventually bringing both groups of chickens together?

I don't know whether I will raise my own chicks or buy day old chicks like I initially did.

I would really appreciate everyone's experience with this.

thanks,

Susan

 

[wendy]

When you bring them together they will have to work out there pecking order. But it is mother nature. Usually it goes allright.

I have put ours in the coop in a cage for a few weeks before letting them out. And I have also tried different ways of putting them on the roost or letting them out first thing in the morning with everyone else. When I put them on the roost for the first time they got pecked some. But it is just the nature of it all.

Good luck, I can't wait till spring, I want to buy some more animals!

 

[sms1225]

I forgot to mention I free range mine during the day and they are locked up in the secure run and coop at night. I am going to build a seperate coop area, but they will eventually share the run area.

How old should the new chicks be before you introduce to the existing flock. The existing flock has 1 rooster only.

thanks,

susan

 

[wendy]

i believe it was 16 weeks that i waited. some may say different.

 

[Chicken Woman]

They should be close to the same size. Putting other distractions in the run helps. Cabbage hanging.some old CD's hanging (yes CD's work as they are shinny and the birds like them as toys) Hanging baskets of suit.

 

[wendy]

Quote:
And I threw away some CD's

if I would have heard or thought of this I would have put them in the run! What a neat idea.

 

[cmom]

First put them so they can see each other for awhile. The longer the better. I let my younger ones out in the yard for awhile before I let the older ones out. Let them out when they are about the same size or the older ones can really hurt the younger ones. Be sure you have a safe place for the younger ones to go. My older birds will chase the younger ones into their run but won't go in there. They do chase and peck at the younger ones. I put plenty of their scratch treat mix out and that helps to distract them.