Texas

[hungnguyen]

Anyone have any suggestions for integrating a single hen into a flock? A friend is moving to an apartment and wants to give me her hen. I originally was going to put it with the teenagers for a week or two, so the hen could have it's own group to be with before going with the main flock, but now the dates have changed and she's not going to bring the hen over for another 2 weeks. My teen chicks (june hatch) are starting to get into trouble in their small section of the coop, so I really want to merge them with the main group now.

We go no rain whatsoever in this last front go-round. Looks like we're going to have to turn the sprinklers back on as the grass is starting to look baked.

I have a few rules of thumb for safe merging.
1. The new chicken has to be older, bigger than the flock (must be able to defend him/herself). I rather the flock scares of the new one than the new one scares of the flock
2. Feed them first prior to merging. (Hunger will cause more competition)
3. Merge in early of the day so you can keep an eye on them all day
4. If they fight too much, it's better to take the new one away and try another day
5. It's best to merge in an open range or as big of a coop as possible. Crowed environment will cause fighting and no place to run.
6. If there are 2 that fight too long and don't give up, first separate them into 2 coops, then place these 2 coops near each other so they can see each other. Wait a few days then turn them loose again, the weaker one will scare by then and run away.
7. If there is 1 dominated chicken in the group and keep picking on others, pen that one and place them near the group. Let him/her watching others walking around for a few days. He/she will get used to them and want to be out to join them. Then turn that one loose and see a different view.

Best of luck

 

[ChicKat]

I normally will take a hen out of the flock and put it with the newbie for a while. Then once they have *bonded*, put them both back into the big group, after dark. If possible, I move the entire group to a new house after dark and then add the new back to the group. That way the house is new to everyone and when they wake up in the morning, they're so freaked out by a new environment that the newbie has a better chance of avoiding getting completely beat up by the others.

I have a few rules of thumb for safe merging.
1. The new chicken has to be older, bigger than the flock (must be able to defend him/herself). I rather the flock scares of the new one than the new one scares of the flock
2. Feed them first prior to merging. (Hunger will cause more competition)
3. Merge in early of the day so you can keep an eye on them all day
4. If they fight too much, it's better to take the new one away and try another day
5. It's best to merge in an open range or as big of a coop as possible. Crowed environment will cause fighting and no place to run.
6. If there are 2 that fight too long and don't give up, first separate them into 2 coops, then place these 2 coops near each other so they can see each other. Wait a few days then turn them loose again, the weaker one will scare by then and run away.
7. If there is 1 dominated chicken in the group and keep picking on others, pen that one and place them near the group. Let him/her watching others walking around for a few days. He/she will get used to them and want to be out to join them. Then turn that one loose and see a different view.

Best of luck

The above are good ideas! I especially like the idea of pulling one from the flock and letting it bond with the new chicken -- and if you can switch out the coop -- then no one is on someone else's turf -- because it is new to all of them! Putting the new comer in at night -- when they are in their sleep/zombie mode and they wake up together has advantages - as does being able to monitor them in the morning.

a couple more things to consider -

• If you have a 'show cage' or some other small thing that can allow you to set up for the new one inside the other coop/run and they really can see and get used to each other without fighting -- that's advantageous. Or side by side runs were they can see each other until they are fully used to each other and introduction would be nonchalant

• Putting out a lot of scratch when you introduce the new one (after the period of getting used to eachother) -- either inside a run or free-ranging they will be more interested in the treats than in fights.

• With a new chicken - sometimes double up on feeders and waterers so that the dominant ones can't prevent the new comer from getting to feed/water -- it is a survival/scarcity thing -- they want to make sure that there is enough and that new comer may be a drain on resources. If there is abundance then less likely to stike fear into their hearts.

• Of course be aware of biosecurity - a chicken with unknown background may look fine but carry pathogens that your existing flock is not immune to. People's whole flocks have been wiped out by introduction of a disease that the new chicken has resistance to but the old flock does not. 30-days as a minimum. Incubation period for Merek's is more like 12-weeks. During the biosecurity period - the new bird should be kept as far away from the existing flock as your facilities will allow. - Biosecurity is a whole other story.... Exposure to stress can be very hard on chicken health.

Good luck with your new bird.
When I provide chickens to others - I try to at least send two pullets or a male and female for the well being of the chickens.

 

[Will-Way Ranch]

Yay! First eggs are great!

Yes they our just came home from work and there's another!

 

[Will-Way Ranch]

The first egg is so exciting, especially when you raised them from when they were in the egg!!!e :yiipchick

yes it is, we r excited and just got home from work for lunch and looked and there's another one, can't wait for our other two chicken to lay

 

[RonC]

Well everyone I have exciting news, this morning we received a egg from one of our chickens.

Congratulations, two of mine have been laying for a couple of weeks now and a third is squatting when I pet her so don't expect it to be long for her to start. It's exciting when a new batch of hens starts laying. Haven't had any paper thin eggs from these yet. First flock I couldn't pick the first few up without breaking them..

 

[Will-Way Ranch]

Congratulations, two of mine have been laying for a couple of weeks now and a third is squatting when I pet her so don't expect it to be long for her to start. It's exciting when a new batch of hens starts laying. Haven't had any paper thin eggs from these yet. First flock I couldn't pick the first few up without breaking them..

oh geeze, yea knock on wood for us our first two eggs our pretty thick shells, but I been giving them Oster shells to eat.

 

[ShadowsFIAL]

Well it looks like the property is slowly coming along. I have a plan set up of how I want everything built on the property and the pastures. Hopefully the house will be getting moved this month after we purchase our railroad ties and mow a path for the semi. I am still having a hard time choosing the breed I would like to work with for show. I am probably going to stick with the large fowl buff brahma, but as for the other I can't decide if I want to do large fowl silver phoenix, bantam quail d'anvers, birchen modern game, or bantam birchen cochin. I am going to be building a carport barn with 10 coops inside, each one being 8'x8' with a 8'x20' run. Would three pens suffice for each breed I want to work on, and the 4 extra pens could be for other projects, or should I use more of the pens to my breeding advantage? Also, I am super excited to finally have a large coop to do my fun mixed flock. I think we will be ordering Cackle Hatchery's Hatchery Surprise for our mixed flock. We also will have another carport barn the same size to have 6 8'x8' coops with larger runs for turkey and ducks, and then 12 4'x8' Quail Pens. I am super excited. I am crossing my fingers that it all works out. I have never shown before, but I am looking forward to it. I also plan to show sheep if I get the chance, it will all just depend on how things progress.

 

[MandyJ]

Well it looks like the property is slowly coming along. I have a plan set up of how I want everything built on the property and the pastures. Hopefully the house will be getting moved this month after we purchase our railroad ties and mow a path for the semi. I am still having a hard time choosing the breed I would like to work with for show. I am probably going to stick with the large fowl buff brahma, but as for the other I can't decide if I want to do large fowl silver phoenix, bantam quail d'anvers, birchen modern game, or bantam birchen cochin. I am going to be building a carport barn with 10 coops inside, each one being 8'x8' with a 8'x20' run. Would three pens suffice for each breed I want to work on, and the 4 extra pens could be for other projects, or should I use more of the pens to my breeding advantage? Also, I am super excited to finally have a large coop to do my fun mixed flock. I think we will be ordering Cackle Hatchery's Hatchery Surprise for our mixed flock. We also will have another carport barn the same size to have 6 8'x8' coops with larger runs for turkey and ducks, and then 12 4'x8' Quail Pens. I am super excited. I am crossing my fingers that it all works out. I have never shown before, but I am looking forward to it. I also plan to show sheep if I get the chance, it will all just depend on how things progress.

Very ambitious there! We bought our 10.5 acres, it was complete woods, it takes a LONG time to get everything like you want it. Well, septic, house, shop, 2 carports, and of course a duck enclosure! We have been here 10 years and still there are things that we want to do. Seems like the money runs out before we get the things done! LOL
Mandy

 

[Mr King]

Is anyone here intrested on buying some delaware pullets and stags.? Around 4 1/2 months old. Im from Donna Texas

 

[newchickjess]

Well after an unexpectedly long hiatus, I'm back!
I hope everyone and their feathered friends are all doing well. My six sex links are currently giving me more eggs than I can handle at about 3 doz per week! My 31 wk old easter eggers still haven't started laying. Is that normal for them?