New pullets

[MCreery]

Greetings! We got our chicks in March 2020, all about 5 months now and 2 of the 5 hens are laying. We have one rooster who seems to be great and a solid part of the flock since he was raised with the girls. They have a coop that supports 12 birds and a 25-16 yard that is 50% covered and shaded. Most of our friends think their yard is nicer than their houses!! So my birds have a great set up and are very well behaved and social with us. So NOW....in the next 2 months we will be getting 3 (3-4) month old Silkies to add to the flock. All pullets, which is why we are having to wait till they are older. My question is....A. Do I just bring them right into our coop? Or would it be in our best interest to build a secondary coop that we can get them used to us and the area? If I do build a secondary coop, should it be right next to the existing yard or is it ok to be 10 feet of so off the main yard? Trying to figure out the best way to be set up when the new girls get here. Thx in advance!!

 

[azygous]

First of all, bantams don't mix easily in a flock of standards. Sometimes, they all get along, but the Silkies, due to smaller size and gentle temperament often have a distinct disadvantage. They do much better with quarters of their own than mixed in with larger and more aggressive breeds.

That said, any addition of new chickens to the flock requires integration, and it goes better when undertaken gradually in order to protect the safety of the newbies. This is to safeguard their self confidence as well as physical safety.

 

[sloanbychoice]

First, all birds that you bring in should be in their own separate area quarantined from the flock for a month. This will let you watch them and make sure they aren’t bringing in illnesses.

Then, have them in a separate area right next to each other separated by fencing for a while so they can learn each other.

Then, when it’s time to introduce, add one of the first batch to the newbies to see how they do first. When that goes ok, try another. And so on until you think they’ll do well together.

 

[MCreery]

Thanks for the quick feed back...I figured keeping them separated would be best....but the divide it had was where to build the other portion. I have an area that is perfect and I can expand to make a great winter coop but its 10 feet off the main yard...maybe I'll just build a run between the 2 What's more building going to hurt!!! Then I can separate and combine easily!!

 

[MCreery]

First of all, bantams don't mix easily in a flock of standards. Sometimes, they all get along, but the Silkies, due to smaller size and gentle temperament often have a distinct disadvantage. They do much better with quarters of their own than mixed in with larger and more aggressive breeds.

That said, any addition of new chickens to the flock requires integration, and it goes better when undertaken gradually in order to protect the safety of the newbies. This is to safeguard their self confidence as well as physical safety.

My 5 hens are mixed breeds, 2 buff Orpintons, 1 barred rock, 1 Americana and 1 Wyandotte, my rooster is Barred Rock....Luckily they are all pretty low key, my can hold 3 of them easily. But agree slow integration will be best.thx

 

[sloanbychoice]

Thanks for the quick feed back...I figured keeping them separated would be best....but the divide it had was where to build the other portion. I have an area that is perfect and I can expand to make a great winter coop but its 10 feet off the main yard...maybe I'll just build a run between the 2 What's more building going to hurt!!! Then I can separate and combine easily!!

Perfect!
And having a set up that allows for separation when needed will come in handy later too.

 

[aart]

They have a coop that supports 12 birds

How big is that in feet by feet?

Thanks for the quick feed back...I figured keeping them separated would be best....but the divide it had was where to build the other portion. I have an area that is perfect and I can expand to make a great winter coop but its 10 feet off the main yard...maybe I'll just build a run between the 2 What's more building going to hurt!!! Then I can separate and combine easily!!

Quarantine and integration separation are 2 very different things.

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/