OK, after quarrantine I integrated my flock yesterday. I had two pullets and a roo to add into our existing flock of 16 pullets / hens and 1 other roo.
The first night I put the two pullets in the coop after dark. I picked a warm roosting spot between two friendly, fluffy Delawares...and turned on the baby monitor to listen in. The existing rooster growled a bit, a few hens coo'd. And all was quiet and normal this morning.
The second day/night I introduced the roo. He's an RIR from Privett, raised by a neighbor, less than one year of age...gorgeous orange-yellow shanks. First I put him in a large dog crate inside the coop. Then I shoo'd all the chickens out into the run, closed the pop door. I let the roo have a few hours to explore the coop on his own, find the food and water. Then I opened the pop door and encouraged him to go into the run (this was about an hour before dark now). There was the usual chest bumping with the established roo, an EE who is very mellow and has never been aggressive to anything. The the new roo decided to do some chest bumping with the reigning "high hens" an older RIR and and older BR. After he got that out of his system, and I offered some scratch to keep everyone busy...they all went into the coop and happily roosted, not further problems so far.
I consider myself lucky on these integrations. I know that some flocks are better than others at accepting new members. My flock, in general, has been great about newcomers. There are always a few days of getting the new hierarchy established. But with the exception of trying to introduce a silkie roo (poor guy has a Napolean complex big time, he bloodied the EE roo 5 times his size, decided Little Grey is best off in a separate A-frame with his silkie hen and a mellow RIR to keep them warm) I've brought in 1-2 birds here and there with very little trouble.
The first night I put the two pullets in the coop after dark. I picked a warm roosting spot between two friendly, fluffy Delawares...and turned on the baby monitor to listen in. The existing rooster growled a bit, a few hens coo'd. And all was quiet and normal this morning.
The second day/night I introduced the roo. He's an RIR from Privett, raised by a neighbor, less than one year of age...gorgeous orange-yellow shanks. First I put him in a large dog crate inside the coop. Then I shoo'd all the chickens out into the run, closed the pop door. I let the roo have a few hours to explore the coop on his own, find the food and water. Then I opened the pop door and encouraged him to go into the run (this was about an hour before dark now). There was the usual chest bumping with the established roo, an EE who is very mellow and has never been aggressive to anything. The the new roo decided to do some chest bumping with the reigning "high hens" an older RIR and and older BR. After he got that out of his system, and I offered some scratch to keep everyone busy...they all went into the coop and happily roosted, not further problems so far.
I consider myself lucky on these integrations. I know that some flocks are better than others at accepting new members. My flock, in general, has been great about newcomers. There are always a few days of getting the new hierarchy established. But with the exception of trying to introduce a silkie roo (poor guy has a Napolean complex big time, he bloodied the EE roo 5 times his size, decided Little Grey is best off in a separate A-frame with his silkie hen and a mellow RIR to keep them warm) I've brought in 1-2 birds here and there with very little trouble.
