New pullets in flock

[Bonnieboo]

I have two chickens left after my other 3 were lost to illness or old age.
I plan to buy 4 pullets to increase my flock but am concerned it may be too many at once for my current two girls.
Should I do it two at a time?

 

[WallyG74]

Don’t prolong the agony. Do all at one time.

 

[CluckerFamily]

I always do a see but no touch integration. I wouldn’t do two at a time. All at once is best so that they don’t have to re-establish their pecking order twice.

 

[aart]

I have two chickens left after my other 3 were lost to illness or old age.
I plan to buy 4 pullets to increase my flock but am concerned it may be too many at once for my current two girls.
Should I do it two at a time?

How many birds you add depends on how much coop and run space you have.
Integration works best with extra space.
Adding 4 to 2 should be fine, and may be an advantage to the new birds.

Are you getting chicks or full grown birds?

If older birds......Consider biological/medical quarantine:
BYC Medical Quarantine Article

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/

 

[Bonnieboo]

Don’t prolong the agony. Do all at one time.

Thanks very much. I thought that that would be best, just needed someone to confirm.