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Starting a flock - Can I buy adult hens and integrate them into one happy flock?

Discussion in 'Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying' started by NaniLioFarm, Apr 17, 2012.

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  1. Apr 17, 2012 #1
    NaniLioFarm

    NaniLioFarm New Egg

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    Apr 17, 2012
    Hello! It seems this spring I got chicken fever :) BYC has been a incredible guide in my chicken endeavor thus far (coop building). As I near completion of my coop and get to start looking at chickens I'm in need of the guidance of the BYC experts.

    I would like to buy hens that are already laying and would like to have both Easter Eggers as well as a brown laying breed (would love a Maran to have chocolate eggs as well). I've been able to find both for sale but not from the same people. So, my question is if I were to purchase chickens from two different places how easy/successful is integrating them (given they're all the similar age/size)? I have also found an individual that has 7 hens of all different breeds (except no Americanas :( that have been raised around kids and dogs and are friendly, which is exactly what I'm looking for (except for the no Americana issue.

    My coop is 6'x4.5' there is an attached 4' x 8' mesh run and they will have free range of our 34 acres most of the day. How many chicken could happily live in my chicken coop/run?

    Thanks in advance for answering my newbie questions. I'm so excited to get my hens!!
     
  3. Apr 17, 2012 #2
    luvmyEs

    luvmyEs Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Dec 9, 2011
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    We started our flock by getting hens from different places. There was some pecking in the beginning, but now that everyone has established their place in the pecking order it is very peaceful. My coop is 6x5 and we have 14 chickens, no run for them. They only sleep in the coop and free range during the day. We have no issues with this arrangement.
     
  5. Apr 17, 2012 #3
    Achickenwrangler#1

    Achickenwrangler#1 Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Aug 7, 2011
    west virginia
    you can always get more chickens! you should always get more than one new bird at a time and introduce them at night. there is a space formula somewhere for roosting, but I notice some sleep huddled with a best friend and others don't. sometimes the roost order changes and theres some pushing and shoving till they settle down. free range you could have a hundred on that much area, they do segregate and form indidual flocks but all eat together well,x the roos, they squabble at times.
    lots of good info on it on byc, just don't go for extreme large and extreme small and expect a bully or two, they'll sort it out.
     

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