question introducing adult 3 year old chickens to an existing flock,

[jburts]

ok a friend can't keep her two chickens and I could take them I have 6 right now, I can take up to 8 or so total, so how long do they need to be separated and how to intruduce them I have a big dog kennel I could put them in the garage and then take them in back yard when others are out,
one new one is a australop and one is a polish, and I have 4 americana's and 2 well summers.
the new ones are three years old, any suggestions?

 

[Mrs. K]

How old are your girls? And how much space do you have? And do you have hideouts, roosts, and multiple feeders in your run? I would worry about adding the polish, they tend to draw aggression.

If you are worried about adding them, do the quarantine, but you need to do it exactly and it is a lot of work. Other wise you are pretending to do a quarantine, and that is a waste of time.

Mrs K

 

[aart]

I can take up to 8 or so total

Integration of new birds takes extra space.

And how much space do you have?

...in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would help.

Oh, and.....
Where in this world are you located?
Climate is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!

 

[jburts]

I'm in eastern washington it is about 30 degrees at night and it has been close to 40 during the day so far it has been a really mild winter, at night sometimes down to 27 or 24, coup is, 6 by 4 and a run 7 by 8 the coup is off he ground and they go out in back yard, when I'm home, my question is more concern about how long I would need to keep them in a dog kennel in garage, it will be tricky so I don't know if I'll take them or not,

 

[jburts]

How old are your girls? And how much space do you have? And do you have hideouts, roosts, and multiple feeders in your run? I would worry about adding the polish, they tend to draw aggression.

If you are worried about adding them, do the quarantine, but you need to do it exactly and it is a lot of work. Other wise you are pretending to do a quarantine, and that is a waste of time.

Mrs K

ok thanks, the polish is the one I'm concerned with and my girls are 4 of them americana and they are not a yr old yet, and two well summers that are 4 yrs, old,

 

[jburts]

probably going to say no, to her,

 

[aart]

probably going to say no, to her,

Good decision.