Pretty sure I screwed up big time introducing new chickens to 5 week olds

[Robblob]

I'm usually pretty good about doing my research on these matters, but I think I've screwed up royally after noticing what's happened in the last 12 hours after doing some research. I have 6 five week old chicks and two of them ended up being roosters. I wanted layers only, so I looked into getting a couple more hens around the same age as my chicks to fill the void. I ended up finding a guy locally who had some hens that are 7 weeks old and same breed, barred rocks. I picked them up yesterday, put the finishing touches on my coop since there wasn't room in the brooder anymore, and put all 8 of the chicks into the new coop last night. I had noticed some squabbles with the new chicks and they were pretty much hanging together in the corner for the most part, but later in the night when I checked on them they were all laying down together in the middle of the coop. When I went out this morning to check on them, I only saw 6 chickens initially. I opened the door to check them out and the two new chicks were in one of the nesting boxes hiding out away from the others.

So now I'm sitting here reading all this stuff about having them in quarantine and what not for possible illness and also to help them acclimate to the new surroundings. But stupid me just tosses them in with the others thinking they will be just fine as their similar age and same breed. How badly have I screwed up and what can I do to fix this?

 

[0wen]

By way of biosecurity - not much. If they're carriers of illness or disease, your flock has all ready been exposed. It may be that they're fine, maybe not... In regards to physical safety and inserting them into your flock, I'd separate them somehow. It can be as simple as running a fence between them and the others and dividing your coop. You could also consider removing them to another location and removing any bedding and such inside the coop on the off chance they carry something and you can still snag it before it reaches your other chickens. I never really introduce adult chickens to my flock - I order day olds or hatch and grow them to introduction age - baby stepping their visibility and exposure to the existing flock(s) as I go...

 

[ShanandGem]

I hate introducing new birds to existing flocks, to the point that my yard is littered with chicken tractors so all these goofy flocks I keep accumulating don't have to live together lol. I think it's stressful for them and I KNOW it's stressful for me.
Sorry, that was no help to you at all, but just know I understand your frustration.

 

[junebuggena]

Honestly, I think you did just fine. They are young, and as such, have not had the potential exposure to major illnesses like getting adult birds would have. Most serious illnesses can only be transmitted by direct contact with infected birds or their feces. Young birds that haven't come into contact with any adult birds are generally safe to introduce without quarantine.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I agree. Quarantine aside, they should be fine as long as there is room for them to separate and work it out. They are young enough and I bet within a few days to a week they will have worked it out. Just check on them regularly and make sure no one is being overly bullied or hurt.