New pullets single hen

[berettp]

I have two 7 week old pullets that I will have to introduce to my flock of one laying hen who is less than a year old. They are separated now but can see and interact with each other through wire. There is interest on both sides of the fence. My question is should I try putting the two 7 week old pullets in with the one older hen is it easier because there is no other competition with other laying hens?
Should I introduce the pullets in to coop at night?
Any advice is welcome I'm still new to this.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Usually a lone bird will accept friends fairly easily. It may not be necessary to do so at night.
Can you free range them together? That is the best method. Or just open the gate between them and observe.

 

[chameleon]

x2 If they're friendly through the fence already I would put them together under supervision and see how it goes. If you put them together at night, she might peck the little ones in the morning before you get a chance to check on them.

 

[sassysarah]

My chicks are 9 weeks old, we let them in the run with the chickens during the day but we keep them in separate coops at night. We probably start keeping them with the older chickens soon. Our chickens were used to the chicks because we introduced them at a few days old, we would bring the chicks out in the yard to free range and let the chickens out of their run.

 

[berettp]

Can't free range and I am thinking about putting them together in the run and see what happens. The hen sits next to the wire while the pullets move about there is no aggressive actions yet.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I'm sure she has been lonely.

I've even had much older single and pairs of cockerels adopt baby chicks.

 

[berettp]

The three have been together for around five hours and no fights some light pecking but I expected that.
Older hen is a little possessive of food which is a little concerning.
Question can the older hen eat the non medicated chick starter? Because she really likes it.

 

[chameleon]

If she's stopping the chicks from eating provide an extra feeding station far enough apart that she can't guard both. She can eat the chick feed, just provide her with oyster shell if she's laying yet, so that she gets enough calcium. My broody eats the chick starter while her chicks are on it.

 

[jessmeagan]

I'm curious about this too- we got 5 young babes a few weeks ago and they are almost fully feathered now and about 7 weeks old. We have one old lady left (buff Orpington) who free ranges through our entire yard during the day (1/4 acre).

The babes have been out in our garden bed during the day, and brought into the brooder box at night to sleep. They are regulating their sleep times now and go into the transfer box when it gets dark to be brought inside and are up with the sun peeping to be let outside for recess.

Our coop is 5x8' chain link fence open air coop, the old lady sleeps in a litter box bed on the ground (she's too old to fly up to the roost), there is 1 roost bar, and 3 nesting boxes hanging on the side of the coop. It's been the same setup since we got our old flock but I'm worried about how to intigrate the younger girls?

The old lady has shown interest and will come over to the garden bed and watch them through the metal fencing some times but I don't know how to determine if they are ready to mingle?

What will happen if she shows aggression? (Peck them to death, lay on them, what?- this is our first time raising young chicks to intigrate and I'd prefer not to wait until they are big because the old lady is HUGE!)

 

[chameleon]

I'm curious about this too- we got 5 young babes a few weeks ago and they are almost fully feathered now and about 7 weeks old. We have one old lady left (buff Orpington) who free ranges through our entire yard during the day (1/4 acre).

The babes have been out in our garden bed during the day, and brought into the brooder box at night to sleep. They are regulating their sleep times now and go into the transfer box when it gets dark to be brought inside and are up with the sun peeping to be let outside for recess.

Our coop is 5x8' chain link fence open air coop, the old lady sleeps in a litter box bed on the ground (she's too old to fly up to the roost), there is 1 roost bar, and 3 nesting boxes hanging on the side of the coop. It's been the same setup since we got our old flock but I'm worried about how to intigrate the younger girls?

The old lady has shown interest and will come over to the garden bed and watch them through the metal fencing some times but I don't know how to determine if they are ready to mingle?

What will happen if she shows aggression? (Peck them to death, lay on them, what?- this is our first time raising young chicks to intigrate and I'd prefer not to wait until they are big because the old lady is HUGE!)

If she's never aggressive when they come near her it should be fine to put them together under supervision and see how it goes. If she shows aggression she will peck at them to chase them off, not to kill them. As long as they have enough space to get away from her, and preferable a few spots to hide out of site, she definitely won't have time to cause any serious damage before you intervene. I have a rescue hen that was alone with her roo for 3 or 4 years and does not like other chickens at all. Whenever my other flock gets near her she chases them until she's happy they're far enough from 'her space' and as long as they keep their distance there's no damage done. She does this with anything from tiny chicks to grown roosters. But she will even go at them through the fence, so once again, if your hen isn't showing aggression through the fence, it will be fine to put them together, just supervise them for the first while.