new flock

[mystang89]

Hello everyone.
I need help. I forgot and left my dog outside today after my chickens were already lose. He is normally really good with them but today was a different story. I came home and found 3 out of 5 dead in the backyard, 2 escaped thankfully. Anyway, I live in Louisville ky and need to know a few things.
1.) How do I go about integrating 4 new hens in with the other 2 hens. Since I'm pretty sure the remaining 2 won't be laying for me anytime soon can I just put them all together and let them sort the pecking order out since the dominate hen was killed?
2.) I've looked on craigslist and can't find any white Leghorn bantams for sell. Does anyone know where I can findwhite bantam leghorns around here for sell? I've checked most stores and they say they only sell the chicks in the springtime, after that they don't do anything. So please help me out. Thanks.
P.S I was kinda wanting to get these new chickens tomorrow as my 3 y/o and 2 y/o probably won't take it too well only seeing 2 chickens and lots of feathers all over the place.

 

[BairleaFarm]

I only deal with large breed. I do have a couple duccles id let go cheap if you want to drive to georgetown. When introducing new birds i let them loose(reguardless or age) and watch them. There is usually a little pecking here and there but it works out. and yes they will figure out the new pecking order.

 

[mystang89]

Thank you for the offer but we like dealing with our leghorns and the coop is only a 4 x 6 so it wouldn't fit 6 lb hens well which is why I'm trying to get bantams again.

 

[allieloveschickens]

I can't help you with finding more bantam leghorns, but I can help with the integration issue. I tried introducing two new girls to a flock of three original hens- I snuck them in a night and the next day everyone was a little confused and noisy, but seemed okay. They original girls accepted one of the new hens, but not the other- and a couple weeks later they scalped her- she was a bit smaller than the others and was an easy target. Definitely get hens/pullets the same age as your remaining birds, then (after quarantine) put the new hens in a crate inside the coop where everyone can see each other for a week or two. Then you can start free ranging them together, and then start keeping them in the coop together. I hope this helps! Sorry that you lost some of your birds

 

[mystang89]

Thanks for the suggestion allie. I've been looking for replacements all night long but not looking like I'm going to have any luck. Whenever I find them though I'll try integrating them that way and see what happens.

 

[Mattemma]

I added my 5 EEs at 18 weeks to the 3 RSL hens that were over a year.I did it at night too. Still some pecking issues but overall they are doing ok now.

 

[flocksalot]

I always integrate at night. I recently moved 24 pullets and 2 roo's (one of which I removed) that are 15 weeks old and about to start laying (7 standard leghorns in the bunch) in with 20 24 week olds that are currently laying. There is some jostling for perch position and a bit of feuding over food which I relieved by adding a second feeder inside and out. Today I will be adding another perch as the Columbian Wyadottes like their space. They were used to seeing each other about the farm as the younger ones had gotten brave and jumped the 2 foot fence. They also integrate with the older girls well. Once in a while I will have a bully, but for the most part if they all feel like they are getting their fair share they are happy and content to take a bath in the dirt/horse poo/compost or just lay around in the sun with friends from other coops. My chickens range in age from 2 days to 6 years and over time we end up integrating the older birds and younger birds into our two large houses. One for the old ladies and one for the young girlies. The biggest thing I have to do is make sure my son feeds them apporpriately. IE the young girls are still on grower until they start laying, so the layers go back to grower and always have oyster shell available. Good luck finding the bantams! But just so you know kids can handle much more than us parents think. My seven year old understands and did from a very young age that some losses are just part of the plan. He loves them, but faces their loss with grief and acceptance. He lost our cat when he was just over two. He still talks about her and misses her, but understands that it is all part of the life cycle. I think it's how we help them deal with it that matters. They may also help to remind you about the dog. Kids love to be helpful.

 

[mystang89]

Thanks Flock and everyone for the words of advice. Still looking around for replacements and I think I might have to end up going to a hatchery. Not my first choice since I would rather go to a farmer but this time of year I'm not left with many choices. I haven't told the kids yet, I just finished raking up all the feathers in the yard. After all those feathers I probably could have made a nice pillow. I'm sure he'll notice eventually though and I'll just tell him the truth, no sense lying to him especially when I'm trying to teach him not to lie.