Quarantined birds - new flock members

[Gardenlover]

Hi everyone! I’m a new chicken mom, I originally got 5 babies 12 weeks ago, I cannot have Roos where I live and unfortunately 2 turned out to be cockerels. Fortunately I had a plan from the beginning and the woman I got them from was willing to exchange any who turned out to be cockrels.

This started my panic of not realizing the timely process of integrating new flock members.

The woman I had gotten the chicks from exchanged the cockrels out for ~15w hens, slightly older than my remaining 3. I have them quarantined now in a separate part of the yard in a temporary coop and run.

My question is what exactly do I need to watch for? It is back to being crazy hot where I live and I hope the new babies will be ok where they are, I’m making sure they have fresh water and hopefully ample shade, of course they are still panting which I’m hoping is just simply due to heat.

Also any tips for introducing when it comes time is appreciated! Sorry for the long post, I’m sure it’s more rambling than needed.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

"see and be seen" is the best way, once your quarantine is done. Basically, keep them seperated but visible to one anther for a period of 10 dys/2 weeks, remembering that "abundance is a social lubricant". Essentially, see and be seen eating at the same time, drinking at the same time, being in the run/range at the same time. So they aren't viewed as competition.

Then you can remove the barrier and allow a new pecking order to establish. A few blood spots, particularly on combs, even a bit of feather pulling is ok. Perfectly normal. If, on the other hand, a bunch of birds pack up on a single bird - particularly if they all start attacking the vent area, you need to re-seperate one or more birds. To the extent you can integrate in a large area, so no individual bird can dominate the whole space, that will help. Blind alleys are bad - short walls and other structures that break line of site is good. And continue to provide multiple feed stations and water locations initially (or forever, that's simply good practice, water particularly).

No guarantees, of course, they are all individuals - but that's the method that works well for me.

 

[aart]

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/

 

[Mrs. K]

A lot depends on your set up. Can you post pictures of your coop/run? If you have the space, and a lot of clutter in the run. I would expect this to go well. I would expect a little bluster, chest bumping and a small bit of chasing. Then for it to settle quickly.

There are plus and minuses to adding chickens - when you get that pretty close to zero, it is the least problem.

Older is a plus for the new birds +2
Home territory for the younger birds +3, so right now your original birds have a slight advantage.

However, a huge amount of this depends on your set up. If you can't add pictures, measure it and post those. A lot of times, when a new to this hobby posts - and are adding up to a specific number, it is because they have boughten a pre-fab coop, and have been told 6 birds will fit in it. AND THEY WON"T.

Mrs K