New Pullets, Same Age?

[Morgan7782]

I am looking for some advice about integrating. I have one Easter Egger pullet and one Barred Rock pullet, both are 11 weeks old. On monday or tuesday I will be getting 2 Wyandottes, who are between 2 and 2 1/2 months old. IF they are similar size, the age difference will only be 2 weeks or so, when should I put them together? I will have 2 coops and 2 runs in order to keep them seperate if need be.

If the Wyandottes are same size as my flock pullets, how long should I quarentine? When can they be integrated? Thanks for any help.

 

[YolandaT]

I am integrating a 4wk old with my 3 6weeks olds tonight, and have been reading alot.

You can put them in the coop but separated somehow for up to a month so they get used to each other. I am not patient enough for that so I'm gonna try to just go for it and if that doesnt work then I'll back up and take baby steps. All mine come from the same place, a small feed store, and the chicks and pullets are always healthy from there so I personally choose to risk not quarantining.

A LOT of advice says you should put the new ones in there at night, and supposedly in the AM they wake up together and don't make too much fuss. It will probably be hard to sleep wondering what is going on out in the coop, but I'll try it.

I'm going to put my new girl in the coop tonight past 10pm (because this is well past sundown, they'll all be zoned out) and try to get up early and make sure they're not making her bleed or being real cranks to her. When I go out there in the AM I'll be bringing grass bits, oatmeal, and dried mealworms to scatter in hopes that they'll get so excited about snacks that they bond together. I will bring a stick with me and sit in the run for a bit and if they try to peck her too much I will "peck" them with my stick, this was another idea I read.

Because your chicks are older, there might be more fuss. But if they're all sort of the same size it should really be okay, I think the "fatal" fights happen with very young chicks going in with older ones. I think its important to stay calm and assume everything will be fine, I don't want this "chicken thing" to start being a pain, I just want some cute backyard pals and EGGS!!

I appreciate post updates myself, so I'll be sure to update on how things go tomorrow!! Wish me luck!

 

[Morgan7782]

Thank you! That would be great to hear how your experience went. Thanks for the tips too. They will have seperate coops and runs until they've been exposed to each other enough to not care anymore, I like the safety of the fencing. I am not sure how big the Wyandottes I am getting will be, but definately closer in age and size. Though I love new chicks, this is the easiest solution to flock adding. Thanks for responding and please do update with how all turned out!

 

[YolandaT]

Things going fine! I put her in last night and checked on her a couple times, she was sitting a couple inches away from the other 3 but they were all calm. I wish I couldve seen them when they all woke up, like who is this new girl who just appeared?! LOL

I go out there this AM and see my burly Americauna chasing her around. She jumped up on the roost and I distracted the other 3 with treats and she jumped down and ran to the food bowl. Eunice isn't pecking at her too bad, it really looks more like "herding". She is clearly showing who's boss! My other two established chickens are not pecking the new one at all.

So as far as pecking to death I think that won't happen. However since the new one ran to the food, that leads me to believe that she hadn't been able to get to the food. I'm going to put another dish of food and another waterer in the coop so that there are more options, I guess my biggest worry of the day will be making sure the new one can get to some water.

One funny thing is, my sussex Clotile was always very shy and at the bottom of the order - this morning she is pushing the other two around like she knows she's not the one being picked on anymore. Thats kind of funny, as long as she doesn't pick on the new one, that is!

If anything major happens I'll post back but all seems fine and natural, the pecking order is hopefully going to work itself out by the end of the weekend.

 

[Morgan7782]

Great to hear the good news! I only have two girls at the moment, but my Barred Rock is definately the boss. Both of them chase ANY little sparrows or finches out of the yard, hopefully that's not a sign of anything heh. I will be getting my new additions Monday, and will keep them seperate because these new pullets are coming from somebody new. But after I know everybody is healthy, they will start seeing each other through the run fencings.

 

[YolandaT]

Update - everything still going fine, the integration was really without any incident. Their first night together they all bunched up together in the corner (they dont use their roost yet) so they became family pretty much in a day. But there has been funny social behavior that I want to share.

So my RIR Penny started protecting the new girl Goldie, it was so cute! When the meanie Euncie would rush at her, Penny would block her! I was all, Gooo Penny!! Goldie now follows Penny around and likes to duck under her breast. They make me smile.

So now my flock of 4 is in groups - the sweet girls Penny and Goldie, and the bullies Eunice and Clotile. Clotile is more just following Eunice. They are like two little cliques, they get along but they seem to travel now in pairs.

Its the darndest thing, they're acting like the Real Housewives of the Coop! HAHAHAHA!

 

[Morgan7782]

LOL! That is how my flock will be I am sure. I have two girls now, and will be adding two more permanant residents sometime this week hopefully. I just hope the oldies will help the new students out instead of shunning them hehe. They will all be similar age and size.

thanks for the update! I am hoping to get my new girls sometime after June 25th, gotta wait until I can get their new and improved coop set up