New chickens

[Chicken Chicken Love]

So...... what is your guy's experiences with integrating new chickens or chicks? My girls are going to be about 11 months when I'm ready to get another chick or chicken to add to my lovley flock, what do you think the best age is for your flock to be when you integrate another chick or chicken [recomandations need to be over 11 months please]. Also, what are your expiriences with rescue chickens; hard to integrate, easy to integrate, depends on the chicken? Also, what crested breed chickens do you find are easiest to integrate?
Thank you in advance

 

[black_cat]

It is best to integrate more than one at a time. That way they're not completely isolated from the rest and will integrate much more easily. Any age should work if the integration is done properly. Polishes and Sultans can be tough to integrate because of their poor sight. I would pick something with a smaller crest that doesn't obscure vision.

 

[Chicken Chicken Love]

It is best to integrate more than one at a time. That way they're not completely isolated from the rest and will integrate much more easily. Any age should work if the integration is done properly. Polishes and Sultans can be tough to integrate because of their poor sight. I would pick something with a smaller crest that doesn't obscure vision.

Thank you!

 

[black_cat]

Thank you!

No problem! Some other, more experienced people that can probably help you more are @NatJ , @rosemarythyme , @3KillerBs , and @aart . Good luck with your flock!

 

[aart]

11 months should be fine.
Most important thing is lots of space.

Cream Legbars have cool crests that don't cover their eyes.

'Rescue' birds can come rife with problems.
If you're talking spent layers from a factory farm, chances are they won't live too long. or lay much.

Day old chicks from a reputable hatchery are the safest as far and pests and diseases.
Other wise...
Consider biological/medical quarantine:
BYC Medical Quarantine Article

I like to add chicks young.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

Still following 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/

 

[3KillerBs]

No problem! Some other, more experienced people that can probably help you more are @NatJ , @rosemarythyme , @3KillerBs , and @aart . Good luck with your flock!

I'm afraid that I have no experience with flock integration yet.

 

[NatJ]

No problem! Some other, more experienced people that can probably help you more are @NatJ , @rosemarythyme , @3KillerBs , and @aart . Good luck with your flock!

Aart already said it pretty well

Although one other possibility, if a hen goes broody, is to let her hatch eggs or adopt chicks. Probably best to give a broody hen a space of her own, with hardware cloth between her and the rest of the flock, at least until the chicks are a few days old and can walk & run well.

If you want to use a broody hen, you'll have some time between now and then to research the details. And it all depends on a hen going broody--either they do or they don't, but there's not much you can do to influence it.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Aart pretty much covered it all. I've only integrated young birds and I also do it early, by brooding them outdoors.

As far as crested birds, if you're interested in Cream Legbars, Olive Eggers could also be a possibility for you, as some hatcheries use the Legbars as parent stock, and the babies inherit the crest: