Need quick help to determine best way to introduce 2 new hens to small flock

[Knowon Special]

Once again, such good advice and information here, I've read the thread regarding introducing chicks and older into an existing flock . . . for me, it is fascinating because I tend to forget that each and every one on this forum has a unique circumstance and set up! Consequently, while I gleaned a lot of good info, I was not able to determine more specific advice which would apply to my situation.

I'm meeting with the wonderful BYC friend IndigoChicken12 who was looking for someone to re-home their little EE hen - she will come to her new home on Saturday (her and another friend whom I'm joyfully anticipating to be the broody for the eggs I need hatched

Anyway, in anticipation of the "new" girls I wanted to ask and see if there were any recommendations / additional suggestions to what I plan:

My current little flock (2 senior Turken / Naked Neck hens, 2 one year old RIR hens and 1 one year old RIR rooster) of 5 are truly free range. I have no coop, no "run", no chicken tractor, no enclosure of any sort. They have about 4 acres (minus the inside of the house) to roam and do!

At night, they go into the barn (it is sheltered but not able to be totally closed up) and roost on the top rail of the stall for the miniature Jersey cow


As you can see, they rule not only their roost but also take over the little cow's stall when she goes out for the day to graze. The RIR's are always the longest at the feed pan and the Turken girls are always first into the nest boxes for daily eggs

I will be preparing a "quarantine" area just on the outside of the barn wall you see in this picture, which will be covered to keep the new girls from flying out/over, will have a high night roost for them and shelter / shade, and of course, separate food and water. However, because mine are 100% free range, I cannot totally "isolate" the new girls from my 5. So I'm wondering, will this be sufficient separation to be effective for the reason of the "quarantine"? Or will it defeat that purpose because they can still come in contact through the wire? So, that the only real purpose it will likely serve is to keep my original 5 from being mean to the new girls?

If it is not going to work as intended, do I need to keep the girls inside my house for a couple of weeks? Longer? or at all?

Once I get past the quarantine issue, and I want to slowly integrate them with the rest of the flock, since they are always "out" and free range, how do you suggest I introduce the new girls to the roosting area for the night? Shall I wait til dark and take the new girls and place them on the roost rail so they can "wake up" all together? Do I need to keep the new girls confined in the area of the barn where the roosting area is for a couple of days so they will know to come back there at night?

/sigh I really want everyone to be happy and get along

OR am I really over thinking this and need to just "go with it"??

thanks!

 

[ll]

"Just do it" ~quote from Nike

Just from personal experience & late nights of research:
Obviously that isn't a quarantine situation, but it seems you realize that.

I *think* I read recommended quarantine needs to be out of wind's reach ~150ft.?
Changing clothing & shoes between visits. Minimum of 30 days, better at 60 days.
Yeah just "protecting them from injury", definitely a good thing ~to let them get used to the looks of each other for at least 24hrs? If you absolutely know them to be 110% healthy some would say to just add them, let them mingle as a flock and be happy. I imagine the setup you're thinking of will stress them all out and I recently read that the others will treat them separately if you keep them separate.
Don't expect the hen to be broody when she arrives, you're changing her whole life. Your other hens may stop laying too. Some would say if they are close to the same size to sneak them in at night. Rearrange things like dishes and add perches and new bedding so it's a different territory.
Cardboard boxes to run around, old tires, logs, etc.
Definitely set up extra feeding and watering areas - doesn't matter if you have enough /more.
Some would say to keep them confined to their new barn for a week or two so they know where home is.
New ones may follow old ones home for the night. You may have to walk them home for several nights. Make sure you make friends with them at least for an overnight in your house so they get to know you before you "set them free". Let them hear your voice, give each a gentle pet. They like to rock in swings/rocking chairs. If one panics don't leave it until it's calmed down. Teach them a treat call.
Watch for bullying ~ if feathers fly between hens and you don't have a rooster to break it up, be their rooster and squawk & point your finger at the bully. Separating a bully for week will knock them down the pecking order ladder. Big hens can kill little hens. Big hens can kill big hens too. Initial chasing is expected but pulling feathers is bad. Keep your ears open for prolonged chicken screaming. Set up a baby monitor if you can. Be prepared with a chicken first aid kit.
Do take precautions (extra feed/water stations when introducing and keep them for a few weeks to make sure your new hens eat/drink) and set alot of your free time aside for alot of observation.
Animals can sense your stress. If you're the stressful type, walk away while they're getting to know each other because you don't want to project your nervousness onto them. Think good thoughts.
Patience is a virtue.
Unless you just add them and go for it be prepared for a very long frustrating time ahead.
But this too shall pass.
Good luck!

Edited to add:
If in your shoes I would probably just add them. You can't properly quarantine them for health risk~ and honestly they can get sick after all that length of time anyway. You almost have too much space for them haha -lucky- a good thing because none will feel cornered.

and welcome to byc

 

[Knowon Special]

thank you thank you thank you!

EGG-sactly what I needed to know

I think based on your wonderful reply I will take the time to keep them in the house with me their first night, let them get to know me, recognize my voice and even use my gran-nanna rocking chair and see if they will settle down for a little soothing time. If that takes some of the edge off and they don't seem to be in total hysterics then the next night I may take them out after dark and set them up on the top rail of the mini-jersey's stall with the others.

My barn has lots of places for them to "escape" to, a half-loft for hay that is only about 5' high - just needed the "hay shelf" high enough so the cow could not reach it

and she is only 38" at the top of her back so 2 ft higher than her head heheh glad I have miniatures - - anyway, my hens fly up there all the time. Also there are several "exits" from the barn area with wood piles, porches, a couple of stock trailers to run under, shrubs . . . and, as I mentioned, about 4 acres to roam.

The whole 4 acres is enclosed (fenced) with field fencing, the kind of fencing that has the small squares at the bottom, with the squares getting larger at the top, so if the hens are of any size at all they will not be able to readily get through the bottom part of the fence. This does not preclude them from flying to the top of the wire or even flying over the top of the fence I'm sure. Which would beg the question - - - should I consider clipping their wings (I know they will grow back, but would hinder them from escaping the property and getting lost?) or would that make it too difficult for them to get up to the roost at night?

The roost is at the top of the stall - 42" high and I have a "branch" that is about 1/2 that high that my girls and the roo uses now to get up there. They make a little hop/flutter to the branch and then hop/flutter from the branch up to the top of the stall rail. If that would be workable for the new hens with their wings trimmed (maybe just trim the flight feathers on one wing?) I could do that before I turn them out.

I guess it doesn't really sound like it but I feel SOOOO much better now about getting them integrated into the flock

heheh yeah, I still have questions but the really big ones are answered, so I'm not gonna sweat the small stuff!

Again, thanks for the thoughtful and timely reply! I'll post back here to let you know how it's going . . . success or failure or anything in between! It's how we learn!

Knowon Special

PS ~ I'm prepared for the new girls to be "off" their game for a while (including the broody to not be) and even for MY girls to be in a bit of a dither, bought a couple dozen eggs to keep hubby in breakfast and me a baking supply - I'm patient and know that with a little time I'll be enjoying their happy songs again soon enough - yup! I spend a part of almost every day just sitting outside and listening to them - - I'm sure you've heard/seen this? It is SOOO true! "Chickens are a GATEWAY livestock" heheh

- The Hazards of Backyard Chickens