I have a new cochin hen that I got Sat. I kept her separated from the flock but they could all see her (1 BO, 2 RIRs, 5 araucanas, 2 cochin hens, 1 cochin roo, and 1 silkie roo) and put her in around 4 PM today. I stayed for about a half hour watching without incident just the usual half hearted bullying by the RIR's and a little pecking from a jealous cochin hen. anyway, I've been out there 3X in the last two hours, looking in the window and everything seems fine. the big hens are all sleeping and the bantams are milling around with the aforementioned jealous cochin still pecking a bit. I turned off the heat lamps, it's like 40 in the coop, 20 outside, so it's dark in there. won't they all just go to sleep? a friend said I should leave them separated for about a week but they seem fine. any words of wisdom out there? thanks!
We mixed a flock of four into an older single pullet. We let them free range supervised during the day for a few days. I was worried that the older bird would attack the smaller silkies. Then someone on here told me to just mix them all in after dark and when they wake up they think they were all together forever. I can only say that this has worked for us. The five birds all get along. Two of them are silkie roos and I am wondering how long the honeymoon can last myself
