Need to introduce new chickens

[Madison Lindsay]

I sadly lost 3 of my 4 chickens this week to a fox attack and am left with one very lonely Americauna right now. She got away unscathed but is definitely missing her buddies. She is 23 weeks and just started laying. I found a farmer who has some hens of similar age I can acquire here for new coop-mates but I have some logistical questions.

1) how important is a quarantine before introduction? I'm worried she won't do well for a month without some company and living in a small city with a small yard I don't have a great place to keep 2-3 new chickens separate from her.

2) I've seen several threads detailing how to safely introduce a new chicken to an existing flock but I'm wondering if I need to do anything different introducing a new little flock to my existing chicken! I'll attach a photo of my coop and run, they spend the days while I'm at work in the run and I give them some time out in the yard to forage when I'm home. It would be a tight fit to get some sort of cage into the run I think and I think I would have to put my current hen in the cage rather than 2-3 new hens? Or if I put hardware cloth or chicken wire along the length of the run separating the section that's under coop from the taller portion with food and water on both sides, would that work?

I am set to go out of town next weekend for a couple days, am I crazy to think about getting new hens this weekend? It just makes me so sad to see my one girl all alone!

I appreciate your advice!

 

[Abriana]

Cute coop!

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC! Sorry for your losses.

1. Depends on your tolerance for risk.....it is a risk.

2. It's the same. Your idea of sectioning off under coop is a fair possibility (make it weather proof), as is putting the existing bird in there. You could range them separately(new birds only after a week or so in coop/run tho). The space is tight under there and she will not be happy, she'd need a nest there too, she'll want to go to roost in coop and won't be able to. You could always put the newbies in the section and night and let the other roost in coop.

The situation would need attention, I wouldn't do it if not available to manage it if/when problems arise. That fox will likely be back.

It's hard to manage a small flock integration in such a tiny space, it can be done but takes extra work/attention/management.

 

[Madison Lindsay]

Welcome to BYC! Sorry for your losses.

1. Depends on your tolerance for risk.....it is a risk.

2. It's the same. Your idea of sectioning off under coop is a fair possibility (make it weather proof), as is putting the existing bird in there. You could range them separately(new birds only after a week or so in coop/run tho). The space is tight under there and she will not be happy, she'd need a nest there too, she'll want to go to roost in coop and won't be able to. You could always put the newbies in the section and night and let the other roost in coop.

The situation would need attention, I wouldn't do it if not available to manage it if/when problems arise. That fox will likely be back.

It's hard to manage a small flock integration in such a tiny space, it can be done but takes extra work/attention/management.

Thank you much for your thoughts. I got a little coop to temporarily house my one remaining girl on the other side of the yard while the new pullets go in the bigger coop for quarantine. Then I'm going to move the coops together so they can acclimate to each other while physically separate. A bit more of an investment but seems to be the right thing to do.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

 

[Mar1ann3]

I have a similar dilemma. My flock of 13 is already settled in their mega size coop which we just recently finished its construction. The coop will house about 50 chickens. It was a challenge getting them to go in at night, since they were previously accustomed to different arrangements. Now I will be inheriting about a dozen new grown chickens and a dozen new chicks. How do I make the new chicks feel at home? How do I solve the problem of quarantine when I don't have another coop big enough for 24 chickens and chicks? How do I assure that all will get used to sleeping together in the one coop? During the day my chickens free range

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!

I have a similar dilemma.

Similar for quarantine, but sounds like you have a much bigger coop and multiple groups to integrate.
Would probably be best to start a new thread with some pics of your setup and details about your goals and climate/location.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/managing-your-flock.2/create-thread

 

[Mrs. K]

Mar 1 and 3 - You are talking a whole different ball game, you have more space and more birds. Being mean takes energy, and it wears out the bully too. When you have a lot of birds being added, they are all new, and cannot all be pecked. In a larger area, with other birds, it is easier to get away and out of sight of a bird.

A very small coop/ just a couple of additions, and it can be rather difficult. The strange birds are easily identified, and no where to get away from the other birds.

In your set up, I would section off a space, and put the chicks in that. Unless the chicks are 10 weeks or older. Then I would mix them all together. As for quarantine, if you can, you should. You are risking all of them, there is a chance you could lose the works. But there is no way to cheat at quarantine, you either do it correctly or you may as well not do it at all.

Even if you inherited them, do not take them if they are sick or diseased. Check for parasites, and treat before accepting them into your set up.

Even though you have a large set up, check to make sure it is not just an open rectangle space. Set up pallets, roosts, small walls, anything to provide some hide outs, shade, and different areas. It keeps for healthier birds.

Mrs K

 

[Mar1ann3]

Well I introduced the new flock to the older flock at night into the big coop and they seemed ok in the morning when I let them all out. The old flock stayed together and the new flock stayed together, I noticed a few raised feathers and pecking between two chickens of the rival flocks but that was it. Soon afterward the new flock took off for a section of the property and the old flock did its regular thing. Now I'm wondering will the new flock come back to roost in the coop together? Will they come back at all? I have lots of woods and worried they may just take off and not come back. In the past when I introduced one or two new ones the new ones stayed away from established flock but at bay and at night they were all close enough that I could get them to go in the coop together once the established went in first. Now I have 11 new ones. Have I created a challenge that will be difficult to resolve?