Need ideas--the weather is going to mess up the introduction of my new pullets tomorrow

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Tomorrow I am picking up 20 new birds at point of lay. I do this every year. Usually, I kick the rest of the flock out of the hen house, put the new girls in, and let them have the hen house to themselves for a couple of hours so they can get comfortable with the perches, feeder, and the nestboxes. Then I open the pop door and the two flocks mix slowly as some of the new hens go out and the existing flock comes in.

But tomorrow, there's 100% chance of thunderstorms! I can't kick my flock out into the storm with no shelter, and I can't keep 20 birds locked in a small travel crate until nighttime (to introduce them at night). I don't have any other place to put them right now.

Think they'll be OK if I just put them in the hen house with the others? 20 new birds, 47 existing hens, 3 roosters. I'm kind of hoping that there will be so many new birds that the existing hens can't really gang up on any one of them. And hopefully the roosters will begin to claim the new hens and protect them somewhat?

I don't have any choice, I have to pick up the pullets tomorrow.

Anyone have any ideas? I'm stumped.

 

[gamebirdsonly]

Sorry no Ideas. Good luck

 

[donrae]

I always just toss mine in when they're about that age. Yeah, there's a lot of fuss and noise but everyon's okay after a while. Can you make the pick up later in the day and keep the birds confined in the crate a little while? I'm thinking closer to bedtime the sooner everyone will sort things out. Oh, maybe don't feed your flock in the am, so they're more concerned about eating than bothering the new girls when you mix them? Let us know how it goes.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

I always just toss mine in when they're about that age. Yeah, there's a lot of fuss and noise but everyon's okay after a while. Can you make the pick up later in the day and keep the birds confined in the crate a little while? I'm thinking closer to bedtime the sooner everyone will sort things out. Oh, maybe don't feed your flock in the am, so they're more concerned about eating than bothering the new girls when you mix them? Let us know how it goes.

Both good ideas donrae, but I MUST be back by 4pm tomorrow (kiddo gets off the bus) and my feeder is built into the wall and has close to 200# of feed in it right now.

I guess I'm gonna just throw them in. And keep checking.