mixing flock failures

[Poo Shoes]

Has anyone here tried mixing flocks or even just adding a chicken or two and had it been so disruptive you just gave up and got rid of either the picked on chickens or the the offenders?

i have two bunches. the first was two hens and two roos. they lived together amicably originaly. then when mixing in my batch of new seven hens the roos fought for possession. and one of the older hens picks on the new ones and the other original hen is majorly picked on herself. I am thinking of getting rid of original four. I am building new coop so will put them all in at same time in neutral territory and see what happens.



Poo Shoes from Poo Shoe Farm

 

[ace6175]

I would be interested to know how it goes.

 

[mandelyn]

It takes them a good two weeks to settle down with each other, at least. I never add large groups to small groups though... I did 2.. then 2... then 2 more.

The most recent addition, everyone (including the 3 month old baby) picked on the 2 larger new birds. It's been a week, and the new birds are now settled and finding their place, so the fights started again. Nothing serious though, just hen bickering.

In the past I added new birds and sold off birds, always changing the flock around, and the settling in period seemed to go faster, like they were used to changes. Plus I had over 50, that many seems to have new ones just kind of sneaking into the mix when released from quarentine.

I've neverhad to deal with blood or injury though, ever, knock on wood. But I quarentine for 2 weeks, then cage near the original birds so they can interact. The new ones go in a cage right in front of the coop door, so when everyone comes out they can see it. That tells me who to watch for trouble.. the one hen that won't leave the cage, and hangs by it fluffed up... I know that's going to be my trouble maker. After she walks off, then the new ones get locked in the coop while the others free range, then the original birds go inside, some bickering over who sleeps where, and then everything is perfect in about 2 weeks, no more bickering.