Need a little moral support..introducing new girls to the flock tonight

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I have put them out in the yard together, but they don't want anything to do with each other. I've brought a couple of the big girls over to them and they just walk away. I am putting them in after the big girls get on the perch for the night.
 
uniqueblacksheep said:
I am putting them in after the big girls get on the perch for the night.
Click to expand...
I'd not recommend this technique,
could go great,
or the big birds might kick the chicks butts at first light.

But I have no clue what you've done to introduce them so far or what your setup is like:
-your flock size(numbers, ages, genders).
-your coop(size in feet by feet with pics).


Here's some tips on....
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.
 
aart said:
I'd not recommend this technique,
could go great,
or the big birds might kick the chicks butts at first light.

But I have no clue what you've done to introduce them so far or what your setup is like:
-your flock size(numbers, ages, genders).
-your coop(size in feet by feet with pics).


Here's some tips on....
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.
Click to expand...
I agree with aart. You may not be out there when they all wake up. Believe me - chickens know when there's someone new in the coop. They're not always the brightest creatures, but they're not that stupid, either, that they don't notice new birds in their coop.
 
@aart @townchicks @bobbi-j
Thank you all for your advice. I actually did not put them in last night. I did place them closer to my older girls when they were free ranging last night and they all looked at each other and one of my new girls actually ran and ate some scratch with my older girls. No aggression at all. I have very gentle hens. I am putting up a fence in the run for a few days and giving them time to be together before I actually put them all in together. I will post my progress.
 
Free ranging is a great way to introduce them, lots of room for a subordinate to get away from a superior.....but....once you confine them together it might be a drastically different story.
Just be ready to see the other side of your 'gentle hens' when a pullet wants to eat out of the feeder, drink out of the waterer, or share a roost.
 
aart said:
Free ranging is a great way to introduce them, lots of room for a subordinate to get away from a superior.....but....once you confine them together it might be a drastically different story.
Just be ready to see the other side of your 'gentle hens' when a pullet wants to eat out of the feeder, drink out of the waterer, or share a roost.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I will keep a close eye on them and we are building another feeder and adding another water station. They have one inside and I fill their bowl outside with cold a couple times a day so we'll have a couple more
 

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