New backyard chicken addict

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catybird

catybird

Hatching
Jun 2, 2015
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We recently purchased a home on a large lot with the intention of eventually getting chickens, to our surprise the previous owner left her large coop and 3 laying birds, (2) that i believe are plymoth rock (1) Austrolorp.
So now I'm 3 months into home ownership and chicken ownership and every spare minute of my time is spent with the chickens or reading about chickens. I want to add more birds, and I've read everything I can on raising chicks, but what age do I introduce the chicks to the 3 hens that have already established a pecking order? We haven't purchased any chicks yet, but we have been staring at the babies at our local feed store every other weekend for a couple months, they have another delivery of chicks on Friday so I'm pretty sure this will be the weekend I no longer resist.
 
Hello, Welcome to BYC!
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You shouldn't introduce them that young. They should be about the same size before you introduce them. If you introduce the chicks too early, there will be blood.
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So you need to keep the two flocks separated until they get the same size, and then the "chicks" will be old enough to defend themselves.

I hope this helps.

If you have anymore questions, feel free to ask. You will find that the BYC community is very friendly.
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Hello there and welcome to BYC!
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OreoPlymouthRock X2 Introduce young chicks to a flock when they are at least 3 months of age. You can keep them in an enclosure within the flock until this time or at least 3 or 4 weeks before mixing. Everybody sees, nobody touches. When you do mix them together, always add more food and water stations as the older flock can guard these areas and starve out the new birds. It takes a few months for new birds to really get adjusted into a new flock and there will be some jostling until then. Always intervene and separate out bullies if it turns bloody.

Good luck with your flock and welcome to ours!
 
Hello! Welcome to BYC!! I'm new to chickens and BYC too. About 3 months also. I have already learned ALOT from BYC, everyone has been so helpful. So much information here! :)
 

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