questions about intergrating...

[tyjaco]

I have 4 adult hens - about 2 years old now. I have 8 pullets almost ready to go out.
I'm building a new coop/run which will house ALL of them.

my plan is this (PLEASE tell me your thoughts as I've never done this b4):
The new coop/run should be ready next weekend. After it's ready, that NIGHT - I plan to move the old birds in and plop them on a roost. Then I want to move the new girls in (put them on a roost?).
So that in the morning, when I open the pop door, they will all be in a new environment together. I hoped this might work since it won't be anybody's territory yet.

But, I'm not confident in my plan. It still is getting cold at night, so they might need a light for a little bit longer (?).

Inside the new coop, I'm going to have a separate storage area which I could fix up and use to keep them separate, but do I need to do that? I know they will have to re-establish a new pecking order, but what is the BEST way to do it?

What would you suggest for my situation?

thank you in advance!!

 

[sparkles2307]

You need to let them see each other for a week or so before you put them together. Like, on either side of a chicken wire barrier. I've got a small "integrating" pen along one side of one of my fenced runs and any time I'm going to mix and mingle I put the newbies in the smaller pen for a while till I stop seeing much agression from across the wires.

 

[tyjaco]

ok. I think I can figure out a way to separate them in the coop and the run. it makes me feel a little better to do it more slowly, anyway.

Thank you

 

[CMV]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

I hope this helps. Good luck.

 

[tyjaco]

oops. I'm a dummy. I didn't see that.


Thank you

 

[sparkles2307]

I hope it goes well for you!