Topic of the Week - Adding New Chickens to the Flock

[PeepersMama]

In general, I usually use the playpen method, but let's see how well I can think this late at night

How do you go about introducing a new bird to an existing flock?

Ive never actually bought/acquired an adult bird (although I have gotten young pullets), but they would be in very mild quarantine for a month, then put in a wire dog kennel outside for a week to see/meet the locals, and since I let my birds free range, I would just let her out one morning and hand out with them and keep an eye on her. Free ranging them is a good thing to keep existing flock members distracted, and give the newbie space to run away as well.

~Do you quarantine new birds and if so, how?

IF I ever get a new chicken that is older than 3 weeks again, they will be put into a dog crate in the "bunny coop", which is basically sick bay, for 4 weeks. Last time I got new birds (besides the baby chicks this year), I only quarantined them for two weeks, and two weeks after I let them out, one died, and then the rest of the flock got really sick with what we think was Marek's. We had to cull half the flock, but after that,it cleared up on its own.
With babies, they get "quarantined" in the brooder - I worry more about them not being exposed to the adult birds than keeping them away from them, so that they can build up immunity.

~What is the best age(s) to introduce young birds (for example brooder raised chicks)?

When they are big enough to fend for themselves, or In a free range situation, maybe a week before that. About 8 weeks or so.

~How do you integrate a broody hen with chicks into the flock?

If I decide to let a hen hatch eggs, she gets her own nest that is either blocked off from the rest of the flock, or is out of the coop all together. Once she hatches the chicks, she gets her own private kennel, and trips to the front yard AWAY from the main flock a couple times a day. Once the babies get bigger, Mama will slowly integrate them into gfue flock by herself.

~How do you introduce cockbirds to a flock of hens and what was your experience doing so?

I don't do anything special. Playpen, supervision, and free time. In the end it comes down to the hens sub missing to him.

 

[Woballybits]

When can I add my chicks to the coop? Building the coop now and they are inside. They are 4weeks old. I live in Corpus Christi Texas and it is warm here already. Actually hot 99% of the year.also can anyone tell me how to put a picture for my profile using the mobile site on my phone? Thanks for the help. New chicken mama

 

[Ridgerunner]

When can I add my chicks to the coop? Building the coop now and they are inside. They are 4weeks old. I live in Corpus Christi Texas and it is warm here already. Actually hot 99% of the year.also can anyone tell me how to put a picture for my profile using the mobile site on my phone? Thanks for the help. New chicken mama

Looking at your forecast, four week old chicks can go out today. Just protect them from any rain for a few days.

 

[Susanhen]

Thankfully my flock consists of just two bantam hens, so I was able to let standard pullets in with them around 6 weeks without too much of an issue due to similar size. Unfortunately, due to predation, I lost both of the pullets about a month later . So, here I am beginning the integration process again with a 6 week old EE, two 6 week old Dominiques, and a 3 week old BSL. Due to the BSL being younger than the other pullets, I'm keeping them all visible but separated from the older hens for two weeks (last time I did one). My hen house is very small, I don't actually expect them all to fit in there comfortable when they're fully grown, but plans for a bigger coop are in the works. My integration plan is simple: part of my hen house is sectioned off with hardware cloth so I can keep the chicks warm and safe at night, and then during the day they are in a wire dog crate next to the run. The adult hens free range during the day, so they won't actually be spending that much time in close proximity to the chicks during the day, but enough that I feel they'll get used to the sight of them. The hens cram themselves into a single nest box at night with a full view of the sectioned off "chick pen". I'm planning on keeping up this system for two weeks, and then adding extra feeding stations into the run and keeping everyone in the run together for an additional two weeks while the chicks mature enough to remember to return to the coop when free ranging. I plan to simply remove the barrier when putting the chicks in the coop one night, thus surprising the adults with official roommates the next morning Susan and Yuengling snuggled in their nest box My sectioned off henhouse

The new additions in their daytime pen

The first time Susan and Yuengling laid eyes on the chicks

 

[lazy gardener]

- How do you go about introducing new birds to your established flock(s)? The only birds ever introduced are chicks.


- What are the best methods for a smooth-as-possible introduction? Give them lots of room in coop, in run, and if possible, do introductions when they are free ranging.


- Do you quarantine new birds and if so, how do you go about it? Only chicks are added, hatched from my own hen's eggs, or shipped eggs, or chicks shipped from a hatchery. So, quarantine not required IMO. By the time hatchery chicks are off heat, it's been long enough for any disease issues to present themselves.


- What is the best age(s) to introduce younger birds? (For example brooder raised chicks) Brooder raised chicks do best when introduced at 3 - 9 weeks old. Definitely before they "get their cluck". Once they start going through chicken puberty, they are perceived as more of a threat to the pecking order, and integration is more difficult.


- How do you go about introducing a broody hen with new chicks to her flock? I had my first broody several years ago. (Unless you count the one I had when I was about 13 years old!) It was more difficult with her because she was the lowest gal in the pecking order. I had one hen who loved to separate her from her babies. I never did figure out which hen it was because all the black gals look the same. Any ways, I had a broody pen in the coop, and a tractor in the yard. In the morning, I'd let the flock out into the run, and then put feed in the tractor. I'd open the people door, and usually, Mama and babies would make a bee line for the tractor, where they would spend the day. Occasionally, I'd let her and babies out to free range with the rest of the flock. IMO, a huge issue with broody hens and chicks is predator threats. I have an incredible hawk issue now. All my birds are either supervised on free range, or they are kept in covered run. Before I covered part of my run, a hawk flew into the run, looking for a free lunch. Back to the original question: Best to introduce broody and babies to the flock during the first 2 weeks, while broody hormones, and her defense mechanism are at their strongest.


- How do you introduce a cockbird to a flock of hens and what was your experience(s) doing so? Have never introduced an older cockrel/roo to my flock. I keep a closed flock. I have allowed cockrels to grow up in the flock along with their Daddy. They did well in the flock until they were 7 months old. Winter weather was setting in, and they started harassing the girls. The 2 young cockrels were invited to dinner.

 

[bmanty]

I am getting my first chicks in a few days. I plan to raise 4 of them in a dog kennel inside the house (April in MN still is cold) for about 2 to 3 weeks. I will then move them to a double decker hutch(rabbit and Guinea Pig hutch) that is currently in the coop. I have one leghorn in the bottom now daily as she recovers from pecking wounds. I hope to get her out by the time I have to move four chicks in. (One seems to keep picking on her and making her bleed) I want them to have enough space (2 on top, 2 on bottom is what I am thinking for space as they get bigger)

I have read 12 to 16 weeks is good to release them to the group. I have read on here some are saying 8 weeks to 12. Is this a good thing then, as long as the size of them is good and they can run and defend themselves? I plan to let them run in the coop fenced off from the others time to time so they can all see each other, etc This is all new to me so any advice on age to release, etc would be helpful

I have introduced 3 grown wyandottes straight up to my coop, there was about a day of some jump kicking and squaking but they were all big and able to manage. order and acceptance was quickly established. I purchased four leghorns (actually 6)from a big farmer who had hundreds of them. One got injured during travel and was pecked to death before I noticed and another got hurt in the coop and was dead the next day before I noticed.

I have learned to introduce better now after finding this site and learning over time.

3 have fit in very nicely and now I have one that is picked on by everyone, so she is in the hutch getting treated every day. Doing ok, eating, drinking, laying eggs, but she just needs her feathers to grow back and cover the wound area. I hope once that wound area is healed and out of site she will be accepted again but I tried a few days ago and the lead leghorn just would not leave her alone again and made her bleed. So I am hoping this will be done with for about 2 to 3 more weeks in the hutch. I am just nervous bringing her back out.

Anyway, first time raising chicks this week, so hope it is all good.

 

[PizzaBagelPie]

 

I am extremely curious, can you let me know what breed is in that picture? My MIL had one that passed away recently and we couldn't figure out what breed she was. Thanks!

Those appear to be buff brahma hens!

 

[CrazyPetunias]

I get my baby chicks at TSC and Family Farm and Fleet. I don't have a broody hen.

This year I have 2 australorpe and 2 barred rocks that are almost 7 weeks old. I am keeping them in a small pen in the garage so far with a heat lamp. This week I started letting them out during the day in the fenced back yard. My older girls (2 white leghorns and 1 americana) are allowed to free range during the day. So far they are getting along very well. Today, I put a treat in the fenced area for the chickens. To my surprise, the older girls were scared of the little ones. Each time the little girls went to get some of the treat, the older ones would run away.

2 years ago when I got the 2 leghorns, it was very different. I started them in the garage and let them in the yard around 6-7 weeks same as now. But, at the time I had 2 rhode island reds and 2 older leghorns along with the americana. The older hens chased the 2 baby leghorns relentlessly. It was almost another month before they started getting along.

The other thing I did was band my baby chicks. (the little colored leg bands you can buy at TSC). I use one color band for the 4 new girls. I have a different color band on the 2 leghorns that I got 2 years ago. The bands help to identify the hens by age.

 

[sannabelle]

I have added lots of adult fowl into my group. I quarantine for about a month, more or less depending on how concerned I am that new birds are harboring something. After quarantine I put the new birds in a pen or crate inside the large chicken coop and they are there day and night for about a week. After a week or so I open the pen or kennel up at night after all the other chickens have roosted, then I go out first thing in the AM and let everyone out to free range. Never had a bad fight, some snark here and there but no injuries and no one that couldn't be integrated.

I've got a very mixed flock, ameracaunas, red star, black star, barred rock, an American gamefowl ex cockfighting roo and a teeny tiny bantam Cochin (who I introduced as a single into a flock of 27).

Anytime I add new hens I give my existing chickens and the new hens plenty of immune boosting herbs and foods. Lots of raw garlic and oregano. I add ACV to their water as well as some VetRX.

I think everyone getting to be out free ranging all day eases the transition greatly. Plenty of room and distractions.

 

[Meyrlbird]

I'm not experienced with introducing new birds, but my method is using a dog cage and putting the new birds in there for a week or more. I leave the cage outside by the chicken coop so they have to get used to each other for a while, and I will put the cage inside the coop as well at night time. I base it all off of the behavior of the chickens. I've never had bad fights between anyone, besides the odd peck or so. 

I am extremely curious, can you let me know what breed is in that picture? My MIL had one that passed away recently and we couldn't figure out what breed she was. Thanks!

Buff brahma