Perfect Strangers (When can the new chicks meet the Hens?)

[choptank330]

I have a question as well. I have 6 hens and two roosters, the younger rooster isnt crowing yet and my hens are less than a year old. I am getting two speckled sussex hens in about two weeks that will be about 10 weeks old. How do i introduce them to my current flock? Just put them in the coop at night while the others are roosting? Make a seperate pen in the run so they can interact with out being together? all help would be appreciated

 

[n8ivetxn]

I just added my 2 little boys to the flock, 10 week olds.... If you read from the beginning of the thread I explain how I do it with no bloodshed or loss of life (so far). - I don't think I'd just throw them in the coop at night, I don't trust that too much....


frostymug: good idea, you're on the right track - or at least the track I followed

 

[Roxannemc]

I have a question as well.I have 3 10 month old Light Brahma hens
I hatched a light brahma roo for them.He is now 14 weeks old and in with 2 laced brama s about his age but they were hatched together and he wasnt .He seems so all alone as they pal together not him.he had apulket from his hatch i kept too but she had some problem and died unexpectly a few weeks ago leaving him alone.Anyway when and how do i put him in eith his own kind? He doesnt crow yet

 

[n8ivetxn]

How sad for him

First, let's talk about that pullet that died. Do you know what she had? - Your little roo has been exposed to something (unknown), do you want to put him in with others? Personally, I would. I want to breed for resistance to disease. Some people may not have that conviction.

At 14 weeks I'd put him in there....slowly. Put him in a place where they can see/hear each other for a few days. It can be in the run or in the coop. Then let them all out together - watch them. Or, open his pen so he can join them and return to his spot if he feels threatened. - He'll be ok before long - I wish my little roos were 14 weeks!

 

[choptank330]

speaking of introducing chickens. i am getting 3 speckled sussex babies on friday and the guy said that he is 97% sure that they are hens/pullets . my question is how easy is it to sex speckled sussex at 8/9 weeks old

 

[n8ivetxn]

oooh, good question!

The only thing I can say is, look at the comb. If it's a roo, the comb will be pinkish and sit taller. If it's a pullet, the comb will have almost no pink or just a fleshy color and it'll be short or lower profile. Sometimes it's hard to tell unless you have one of each there to look at..

 

[choptank330]

oooh, good question!

The only thing I can say is, look at the comb. If it's a roo, the comb will be pinkish and sit taller. If it's a pullet, the comb will have almost no pink or just a fleshy color and it'll be short or lower profile. Sometimes it's hard to tell unless you have one of each there to look at..

Well hopefully i wont have one of each to look at

I just want to have hens :} I am going to get them friday morning , as soon as i get home I will post pictures here and wait for the good news that I indeed did get three hens

 

[joesmania]

Deleted by me

 

[nova022]

I am working on intergating 4 9 week olds with 5 19 week olds. I sectioned a covered part of the run and put a temporary shelter for the younger girls to use. They can see each other and come to the dividers to check each other out. The older girls are far more interested in the young ones than vice versa. When I let the older girls out (or the young ones) into the pen to scratch in the grass and leaves I leave the others in the big run area that is next to the pen so they can see each other. I will probably continue this arrangement until the 9 week olds are closer in size and then see what happens. Wish me luck.

 

[n8ivetxn]

Here is how I brought new chicks into my flock ..........

I put an old 3 room rabbit cage in the coop, cut holes through the dividers so the peepers could have the run of the whole thing, put a heat lamp in the middle room, water on one end, and feed on the other, with mini roost poles towards the back in all three "rooms". Once they were about 5-6 weeks old I let the peepers stay in that 24-7 like a brooder for a couple more weeks out in the hen house. I then divided the chicken yard with some old chicken wire fencing that had been laying around. I let my older girls out the door to "their side" of the yard first, then shut that door, and opened up the bunny cage and let the lil ones out the other door to "their side" of the yard. I left that door open so the lil ones could get back in the bunny cage at bed time, then I'd just close that up n let the big girls in. So the two groups of ladies were living together. . . . but not. They could see and hear each-other all day every day. I think the lil girls even learn behaviors and warnings and stuff from the more experienced girls this way. Eventually the lil girls wanted to roost outside of the bunny cage with the big girls and I knew it was time to take down the old chicken wire divider in the yard, and leave all three doors to the bunny cage open for three more nest boxes. So . . . wha-la, I got one integrated flock now with no violence.

good set up, I've done similar. it does work

- I agree, the little ones do seem to learn from being around the older birds. My little boys are from a brooder, not a broody, and they are just learning how to forage and find things to eat. They're still learning what's edible and starting to scratch a little
Oh, I love your tag line!