Finally found new homes for our 2 EE roo's. They went to the same home and will have about 10-12 hens a piece! I'm so happy for them! Out of over 40 chicks we got this spring, more than half were roo's! I've got my flock wittled down to 30 chickens, I have 5 standard breed roo's and 5 bantie roo's left. 1 standard roo for each breed I plan to keep and breed. I would like to add a few more RIR pullets to my flock. They'll be a few months younger than my flock with the exception of the cochins which are about 20 months old. Do you think they will meld into the flock ok, or am I asking for problems?
People successfully add to their flocks all the time. Sometimes there are problems as I'm sure you know from this site, but this link discusses both quarantine and integration. I think it wil help improve your odds of success. Buff Hooligans Adding to your flock https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-adding-to-your-flock I think a whole lot of whether you have problems or not depends on how much room you have. The more the better. Another thing is for you to understand that they will work out a pecking order. They are social animals. They cannot function as a flock until they work out the pecking order. The trick is for you to know when it is normal pecking order stuff and when you should intervene. I think the general guideline of leave them alone unless you see blood is fairly good but it may not cover all situations. You just have to use your judgment. A lot will also depend on your roosters. A good rooster will accept a new hen into his flock by mating with her, whether she wants him to or not. That way he establishes his dominance but also extends his protection to her. With a good rooster, that protection will extend to breaking up fights between hens if it gets too vicious. Not all roosters are good and some see new hens as threats to their flock instead of welcome additions. They are all individuals. As I said, people are successful all the time. On here, you usually see the problem times and not the succesful integrations. So don't be afraid to try, but be aware of the potential problems. Good luck!
