Newbie Question or two - Establishing a flock

[govolsguy31]

I've got a newbie question or two here.

Our coop and run is almost done. Would have been completed today, but it's pouring rain here, so it'll have to wait till tomorrow.

We've sourced 5 or 6 pullets from several different people. Picking them up between Friday thru early next week. A mix of things (Rhode Island Red, Black Sex Link, Buff Orpington's and Barred Rocks). They're all ages 8 weeks to about 14 weeks.

I realized there's some time and effort in integrating new birds into an existing flock. But since all of these will be new and there's not an existing flock, are we good to just put them all together and watch how they do? I'm assuming a few days isn't enough to establish too much dominance for the ones we pick up Friday until we get the rest of them early next week.

Also, I've read its best to keep them in the coop for a few days before letting them out into the run, so they associate the coop as their "home" each night?

Any input is appreciated. Exciting times!

 

[SamuelMcF]

I agree on the leaving them in the coop for a couple days.

As for the integrating, I generally am not as careful as I could be on this and just put them together under close supervision. There will definitely be a pecking order that they work out and as long as one is not being picked on too much you just have to keep an eye on them. They should do fine since none of them know each other yet.

 

[govolsguy31]

I agree on the leaving them in the coop for a couple days.

As for the integrating, I generally am not as careful as I could be on this and just put them together under close supervision. There will definitely be a pecking order that they work out and as long as one is not being picked on too much you just have to keep an eye on them. They should do fine since none of them know each other yet.

Thanks Samuel. That's helpful.

As far as keeping them in the coop, will the ones we get a few days before the rest of them be fine to just keep in the coop longer? There's no real harm in them being confined to the coop for a week or so is there, so that the later chicks get a few days in there too?

 

[rosemarythyme]

As long as coop has ample space for them (for 6, at least 24 sq ft of floor space) and food and water are available, you can safely lock them in there for a while. I think my first chicks were locked in their coop for over a week... space wasn't an issue so it was a good way to get them homed to the coop and used to outside temperatures and conditions.

You can try just tossing them all together since they'll all be new to your home, so any pecking order is disrupted, but I would keep a close eye on them for any severe bullying or chicks not being allowed to eat by others.

 

[govolsguy31]

As long as coop has ample space for them (for 6, at least 24 sq ft of floor space) and food and water are available, you can safely lock them in there for a while. I think my first chicks were locked in their coop for over a week... space wasn't an issue so it was a good way to get them homed to the coop and used to outside temperatures and conditions.

You can try just tossing them all together since they'll all be new to your home, so any pecking order is disrupted, but I would keep a close eye on them for any severe bullying or chicks not being allowed to eat by others.

Space won’t be a problem! The coop is basically 8’X7’, so more than twice that square footage. We’re both excited about this, so keeping an eye on them won’t be an issue either. Lol.