Original flock still not taking to new additions

[AChickenNamedBlue]

Hello there-

We have 5 cinnamon queens. They are a little over a year old. We recently added partridge rocks/bard rocks to the flock. They have been in the same run as the original girls, but confined to our old coop so they aren’t roaming around with the original girls in the run. It’s been a week and our original flock still won’t take to them. They peck at the girls through the coop. We have tried to integrate at least one of them and they all gang up on her. She is a year old so she’s full grown and probably half the size of our original girls and the bard rocks are 2-3 months old so they are little.

How the heck should we be doing this? Some people have said it keep them separate but in the same run So they are atleast around each other but don’t have access, some say to just integrate them and pecking order will be established. We want to do this right where no chicken is harmed, but we really don’t know what to do… is a week separate too short, should we keep them sectioned off longer?

We did read that Rhode Island Reds can be the toughest to introduce new birds to…

 

[aart]

It’s been a week and our original flock still won’t take to them.

Not near long enough.

Here's some tips about.....
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/

 

[Altairsky]

mine took 3 months to fully integrate, and in the end it was the rooster that put full peace in the flock.

 

[ChookaPete]

Not near long enough.

Here's some tips about.....
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/

Great information - thank you!

 

[Ridgerunner]

How the heck should we be doing this?

Aart gives some great generic suggestions. These usually work. Not all of us have the facilities to follow all of these but they can certainly help if you can.

My chicks are raised with the flock, either by broody hens or in a brooder in the coop. I haves a large coop and over 2,000 square feet or run space outside. Having lots of room helps. Whenever my broody hens wean their chicks, anywhere from 3 weeks to 3 months old, the chicks make their way with the flock. When they hit 5 weeks I let my brooder raised chicks out to roam with the flock. You obviously can't do this, yours are too old. But following Aart's suggestions is a good way to go.

My point in all this is that until the pullets reach laying age they form a separate flock. They avoid the adults because is they invade their personal space they are likely to get pecked or worse. It does not take them long to learn to run away if the adults get close. I have enough room that they can do this without problems. If they can't get far enough away it can be bad.

My goal for integrating chicks is not that they immediately form a happy kumbaya group toasting marshmallows over the open fire. My goal is that they don't get hurt. Simple as that. They will join the pecking order and become one happy flock when they mature.

We did read that Rhode Island Reds can be the toughest to introduce new birds to…

Slander!!! Bigotry!!! But believed by many people on this forum.

If you read enough stories on this forum you will find stories of any breed (RIR, Silkies, Orpington, Rocks, Polish, or any other) where they were absolute monsters. You will also find flocks or individual birds where they were absolute sweethearts. So, yes, RIR's may be the toughest to introduce new birds to but they may also be the easiest. It just depends on your individual flock. Having enough room and using good techniques can help.

Just out of curiosity, where did you get your Cinnamin Queen's? Cinnamin Queen is not a breed name but just a marketing name. No breed standards. Did you get them from Cackle Hatchery that uses Rhode Island Red roosters over Rhode Island White hens or from Hoover Hatchery that uses Rhode Island Red roosters over Silver Laced Wyandotte hens? Both call theirs Cinnamon Queens.

 

[townchicks]

You have been given good advice, I will just add, give it more time. Wait until there is no more fence fighting. This will vary with the individual birds, but can take a few days to months. Let your birds guide you. If you free range at all, that can be the best time to try integrating , space to move away is key. Do all the birds at once, not one at a time. Make sure your run is actually large enough to accommodate the whole group, 4 sq ft per hen is the bare minimum. Let the newbies go back to their own coop in the evening until you are sure they are ok with the older group, then you can move them in to the main coop after dark so they all wake up together. In defense of RIR s , mine never picked on another hen her entire eight years, and was integrated with others 3 separate times. They are best treated as individuals. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[darelmac]

You have been given good advice, I will just add, give it more time. Wait until there is no more fence fighting. This will vary with the individual birds, but can take a few days to months. Let your birds guide you. If you free range at all, that can be the best time to try integrating , space to move away is key. Do all the birds at once, not one at a time. Make sure your run is actually large enough to accommodate the whole group, 4 sq ft per hen is the bare minimum. Let the newbies go back to their own coop in the evening until you are sure they are ok with the older group, then you can move them in to the main coop after dark so they all wake up together. In defense of RIR s , mine never picked on another hen her entire eight years, and was integrated with others 3 separate times. They are best treated as individuals. Good luck and keep us posted.

"They are best treated as individuals" is absolutely correct. There are common traits among breeds but in every breed you will find individuals that defy everything about how they should be behaving. I have always kept Rhode Island Reds because they are good choice for egg layers and adapt well to differing circumstances, but this year I added French Copper Maran to my RIR flock and think I will change to this breed as I need new hens. Every hen has her own personality and you deal with them accordingly.