New Chicken Advicd

[Georgeschicks]

Hi.
We just lost our first chicken. We now have three hens left. two easter eggers and a delaware. they are all three years old and they were raised together. we have enough room in our coop/run for eight birds and we were hoping to get more. we have tried to add birds in the past but we found that our chickens were very aggressive and introducing chicks didn’t work. I know that it is an odd time in the year to get new chicks, so do you have any ideas of ways to get older birds. because introducing chicks in the past went badly i would appreciate more ideas as to how to introduce older chicks.

thanks!

 

[sourland]

Given the Covid situation, adult/laying hens are nearly impossible to locate, and even chicks are in short supply. It is usually impossible to integrate chicks into an established flock unless it is done by a broody mother. They need to be raised to nearly full sized prior to integration. If one of your hens goes broody, perhaps you can get fertile eggs or foster chicks to her. Good luck in expanding your flock.

 

[aart]

If you can set up your coop to accommodate a separate section for chicks,
this works well:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/


Still apply the......
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.
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/