Should I add a couple new older chickens?

[Monkeybean415]

We have nine 3 month old chicks and a friend down the street is looking to rehome three of her 1-2 year old chickens. Would it be a bad idea to take them? We'd love to start getting eggs right away but worry about introducing new members to the flock. We're thinking of maybe only taking one or two of them? Looking for any advice as we are still pretty new to chickens. Thank you!

 

[Den in Penn]

You can easily add three hens if you have the room. I would add the three, Older hens don't lay like younger hens and three would give you at least one a day. I would ask why she is getting rid of them. This time of year they would be molting and not laying for a couple of months. So you may not be getting eggs much sooner then with the ones you have.

 

[Monkeybean415]

She said there was a family emergency and is rehiring all her chickens and ducks. These are the last three left. She just wants them to go to a good home and stay layers rather than meat. Are the young ones old enough to fend for themselves against full grown ones?

 

[Monkeybean415]

She also said she'd take them back if it didn't work out. Is there anything like diseases or something I'd need to worry about putting them together right away?

 

[Den in Penn]

A quarantine is usually recommended to allow you to see any disease they may have. It is usually for four weeks weeks, well away from the flock. At three months the young ones are old enough to hold their own with the mature hens.

 

[Mrs. K]

I would take the three. It should work pretty good.

 

[Monkeybean415]

What would I use for quarantining them? We only have the one coop and run.

 

[Den in Penn]

A temporary coop, like a dog kennel or a partitioned off corner of another building. Or you might slap together a small coop out of almost anything that can be found, a couple of pallets or a few pieces of plywood. It doesn't have to be fancy.