New roo

[Chaerie]

I have 4 jersey giants in one pen, 1 yo, and 6 ameraucana chicks in a crate, 4 weeks. Got a French maran roo from my lovely stepmom, he's still small so maybe 2 months? I'm just gonna throw him in with the big girls, is that ok or should I leave him in his little crate with them for a day or so? It's very small and he can't even stand up, but I don't want any fighting. Also, when should I put my chicks in there? I'm not doing a light anymore and it's quite warm here. Thanks!

 

[Chickassan]

You should always do a look but don't touch introduction with any new chickens. Maybe fence off a bit of your enclosure for the new guy. If you throw him in he's going to get whipped this goes for your chicks as well. In a perfect world you should quarantine new arrivals so you don't spread anything to your flock.

 

[lazy gardener]

Your little cockerel needs a larger space. Do what you have to do to provide that for him. Putting a single chick, (and he is still a chick) in with 4 hens may be disastrous for him. You may actually have better luck integrating him with the 4 chicks, then putting the 5 youngsters together with the adults. No matter how you do it, the youngsters should have a minimum of 2 s.f./bird, and preferably 4 s.f./bird in the coop at this age.

 

[Mrs. K]

Do create a couple of places where big birds are uncomfortable. For instance, I have a pallet up on cement blocks, 5-6 inches off the ground. Small birds can go under there easily, bigger birds can get there, but it slows them down, and it is not comfortable, so they tend to go eat somewhere else. I often put a feed station there. Using a one way gate, so that small birds are protected from the bigger birds, they can go through it explore the area of the big girls, but if it gets too aggressive out there, they can escape to their safe zone.

 

[aart]

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.


This used to be a better search, new format has reduced it's efficacy, but still:

Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, BUT some info is outdated IMO:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock