The escaped chicken integration

[J99]

Well you think that but my flock consists of very low men on the totem pole breeds and she’s high on the pecking order and she’s not scarred of anything, not even people
I have a wyondotte pullet and Cockerel that I believe will put her under , other then that I think she’ll top the rest of them
We are doing a slow little by little watchful integration.
I don’t feel bad about her being penned because she came off a crammed horrible truck and was in a busy street then we rescued her and now she’s in a pen it’s still an improvement

 

[J99]

We let her out today so far so good

 

[MROO]

Do not do the 30 on one. Instead add one bird to her. They may duke it out, but it is one on one. Pick a middle of the flock to add to her, have some hideouts, two feed bowls, but stick to your guns, and leave them until they get it sorted, and they are a pair, at least a week. If you can do this in sight of the other girls, so much the better.

Next add a pair from the original flock to the first pair. Again, they may be a ruckus, but it should be short-lived. Keep them together at least a week.

Now add the foursome back to the flock. If they have been in view, of each other, this should not cause too much problems, a few skirmishes. At this point there might be one or two hens in the original flock that just are mean. Catch them, put them where the foursome was.

Leave them there for a week. Then add them back into the group and it should be pretty done.

Adding a single bird can be done, but it is tricky. One of the problems people do, is put a strange bird into a strange set up, where the new bird does not know the hideouts, or ways to get away from the others. I often recommend, locking the original birds out of the set up, with the new bird locked in the set up, so she can explore, find the various hide outs, and feed bowls without being chased for her life. Then letting in the flock close to dark.

Mrs K

This is absolutely the best way to do it!

 

[J99]

Well I thought so to at first but it didn’t work for us , we wasn’t comfortable with it , however today she’s out she’s doing well so far
She doesn’t roost though , so I will need to teach her to do that I guess

 

[J99]

Update My husband just let her out and watched her and she pecked a few of my chickens but nothing mean or vicious maybe a couple of little squabbles but she’s part of the flock now and a side not is she won’t perch because of how she was raised ive even put her on a low one after she’s sleeping and she startled and gets down . So she sleeps on the ground below the rest of them and the funny part is the last three nights my Rooster sleeps with her!!!! That’s so weird , he always roosts