Tips on adding new members to your flock

[Over_Easy47]

Just here for some tips on adding about 12 baby chicks that are very close to being big enough to join the big girls outside! About a month ago, I added 2 Easter eggers & 2 barred rocks to my flock and it went well but not to well..as they are okay now and get along. I also have 2 turkens that they just won’t allow in there..they all gang up on the poor girls..open to all advice

 

[Melky]

Here is a great article on Biosecurity and behaviors to handle when adding to flock. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/adding-to-your-flock.47756/

 

[Melky]

Here are a few more in detail: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/discouraging-bullying-chicken-behavior.64388/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...using-the-“see-but-don’t-touch”-method.67839/

 

[Mrs. K]

When you are having long term trouble integrating your birds, there is a strong possibility it has to do with your set up. Chicken math gets the best of nearly all of us, and too many birds in a space is a reality of that.

So check the measurements of your coop and your run.
What does your run look like? Is there a wind break, is there hideouts, is there mini walls. Places where a bird can get out of sight of other birds. Many runs I see are just an open rectangle. Do you have roosts in the run.

Multiple feeder and waters, and best is when you them set up so that, a bird eating at one station is out of sight of birds eating at another.

When you go to add your birds to the flock, let the old birds out of the set up, to have a day free ranging. Lock the new birds in the coop/run for the day. Put out a nest for you layers, they love something different. This lets the new birds explore with out being chased for their lives.

Mrs K

 

[aart]

Integration Basics:

It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.


This used to be a better search, new format has reduced it's efficacy, but still:

Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, BUT some info is outdated IMO:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock