New chickens and existing chickens

[Jkmsell06]

Hi fellow chicken lovers! Lol
I have a flock of 18 chicks(6wks today!) of various breeds(all standard size females: barred Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island reds and whites, cherry eggers, and Easter eggers). I've decided to get some more as a gift to my mom for her B-Day this month. She is also a HUGE chicken lover! Haha she really loves the fancy chickens. So, I found someone who is trying to downsize her flock. She is giving me 10 bantam calico frizzled and smooth cochin's and 2 polish(a black and a buff). They are 5 wks old. As a newbie, what steps should I follow to ensure the safety and health of all birds? How long should I quarantine, how and when should I start to introduce them. Is there anything I should make sure of, as far as vaccines, to keep them all safe? So far, all birds have been vaccinated for Merak's and the new birds have been on a medicated feed. TIA!

 

[azygous]

After a quarantine period, I would put the two groups together side by side with a mesh barrier. Given their ages I wouldn't expect a complicated integration. They are all within the same age range, however, bantams will be much smaller. That could be your sticky issue.

Numbers are in your favor, though. The ten small ones should be able to put forth a united front to face the standard chicks. After a few days of the chicks getting acquainted through the mesh partition, take it down and see how they all do. Keep it handy, though. You may want to put it back up if you see things getting too rough on the bantams.

I would try again next day, leaving the barrier down a little longer, putting it back up when things get too stressful for the small ones. I think if you take it slowly, in increments, the two groups should adjust well and become a flock in not very long.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don’t know how much room you have or what your facilities look like, but Azygous is on the right track. When you are ready to house them together, keep them side by side across a wire mesh fence so they can see each other for a while. Let them get used to each other before they can get at each other. If you quarantine that will probably add about 4 weeks to their age. That’s still pre-puberty but not much if you have a male in the group. It should go pretty well, especially with all females, but with living animals you never know for sure.

To do this you’ll need a separate predator-proof coop or you’ll need to split your current coop. It would be really nice if you had two separate runs where they could see each other but not mingle. How you manage that will depend a lot on what your facilities look like and what you are willing to add.

My main point is to tell you to not force them together. Don’t put them in a position where you are trying to force them to get along. If they want to sleep in separate places at first (and they probably will just from being housed apart), let them. When you remove barriers or open doors or gates to let them be together, let them decide the rate they mingle. If they want to stay in two separate flocks during the day although they are both ranging together, let them. Don’t try to micromanage every step, relax and let them manage it. But do watch (maybe let them mingle the first time on a weekend where you can observe) and be prepared to step in if necessary.

All the normal integration stuff applies, a few separated feeding and watering facilities so one group can’t bully the other and keep them away from these. Give them as much room as you can. One week’s age difference isn’t that much, whether you quarantine them for a while or not. With those numbers and at their age (now or a month from now) you’d have a reasonable chance of success without housing them side by side, especially if you have a lot of room in the coop and outside. But housing them next to each other for a week or so does improve your odds. With living animals you don’t get guarantees on behaviors but I think you’ll do OK.

 

[aart]

I don’t know how much room you have

My first thought also..
Space for ~30 full grown birds and space for a true quarantine.

Consider biological/medical quarantine:
BYC Medical Quarantine Article
BYC 'quarantine' search

 

[Jkmsell06]

Thanks! My birds now are all female. The bantams have at least one roo, but not 100% if there are anymore, yet. I have a huge pasture for them to roam. they Def will have plenty of space. As far as quarantine, I plan to use a large metal dog crate inside my home for a few weeks (with a dog pen for play ) just for the quarantine period, of course. Then they will get to free range/pasture range after that. Would it best to just move the crate outside for a little bit at a time everyday when I start to introduce them? Eventually, we will have a large coop for them all. Or maybe 2 smaller ones if they do decide to keep separated...lol

 

[azygous]

Many diseases are transported on air currents and even on your own clothing. Folks adhere scrupulously to the theory of quarantine without understanding all the implications. Unless you plan on strict bio-security, removing clothing that has been exposed to the new chicks, washing hands, keeping birds from the vicinity of existing flock, quarantine is pointless. It also cannot detect many serious avian viruses that the new chicks may be carrying yet show no symptoms.

Just to make you aware.

 

[aart]

Thanks! My birds now are all female. The bantams have at least one roo, but not 100% if there are anymore, yet. I have a huge pasture for them to roam. they Def will have plenty of space. As far as quarantine, I plan to use a large metal dog crate inside my home for a few weeks (with a dog pen for play ) just for the quarantine period, of course. Then they will get to free range/pasture range after that. Would it best to just move the crate outside for a little bit at a time everyday when I start to introduce them? Eventually, we will have a large coop for them all. Or maybe 2 smaller ones if they do decide to keep separated...lol

But how big is your coop?.....that is usually the bottleneck of crowding.

Yes using the crate could work once Quarantine is over and you start to integrate, better yet put the crate right in the coop or split off half or part of coop with a wire wall for a few weeks.


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.


This used to be a better search, new format has reduced it's efficacy, but still:
Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, BUT some info is outdated IMO:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

 

[Jkmsell06]

The pasture is a couple acres. the coop isn't am issue because I am getting another one in a couple weeks and it will be set up and ready long before they are finished with their quarantine period. I love all of the great tips!! I collect branches regularly as I find really great ones! they have so much fun on them! So adding more for a 'shelter/hiding place' is an easy thing to accommodate. I love the pallet idea, too! I will Def check out the link, too! Thank you!

But how big is your coop?.....that is usually the bottleneck of crowding.