Well it finally happened and now wanting to add to my flock

[ReillyJ]

i rescued 4 hens a few years ago from a drug house across the street. Had NO knowledge about chickens at all but did the best for my hens and they lived a good life. One we found dead in the coop in March i think (she was fine when she went in so i don't know what happened, i suspect these hens are at least 4 yrs old maybe) and since i free range, i lost one 3 weeks ago. So i have 2 left and they're rather forelorn. I am wanting to add at the most 4 more hens. I am thinking 6 months old maybe, as i certainly want eggs, my original two have certainly slowed way down.

You'll have to forgive me but i'm not building another coop or have the energy to house them apart from the remaining two. I have a big run and a big coop. i am planning to put a large run in between the plat of ground between the coop and a shed so there's a big plat of grass, dirt they'll be able to forage around, instead of letting them free range all day like i allowed my originals to do. IDK how the remaining original two are going to like that, but they will still have plenty of room with the run and outside run i will be making (pics will be attached). I'm also wondering until i get my outside pen built, if i can allow my original two to free range while keeping the pullets i hope to be getting, in the coop and run until they acclimate. Hopefully i'll be able to put the outside run up soon, but if i can't, i plan on letting them free range only an hour or 2 instead of all day like i used to.

Here's the plat of ground between shed and coop that i'd like to build a fence around, hopefully that's plenty of room for 6 hens. Coop is on the right, run is attached but i want to add a run in between the coop and the shed on left instead of free range all over my yard, i think i lost my hen 3 weeks ago to a predator

Here is their coop and run: it has roosts and nesting box and a kids swimming pool filled with dirt and filled with cedar shavings in the coop/run, this pic is last winter when i had plastic wrap around the run (there is ventilation for sure) because of the cold. I live in W. WA.

Coop:

 

[Mrs. K]

Well, if the old ones are 4 years old, and have never been with chicks, they are probably going to be crabby about the whole idea. Chickens hate change so they are not going to like the new set up either. When I change things, I change as many things as possible. Seems to help, so on the same day you open the new digs, add the new birds, put some pallets, hay bales, or hideouts in there. If you can find 6 month old pullets, I really don't think you will have too much trouble with the integration.

I think it will be very hard to keep the young ones in the coop, and let the olds out of the coop. So I would not try that. Just let them be together in the coop and run.

If your birds are 4 years old, I would not expect them to live too much longer either.

Mrs k

 

[aart]

I'd prepare to separate them if necessary...both groups need shelter from wind and rain and predator secure nighttime accommodations.
If your coop is large that might not be such a big deal with some 14ga 2x4 wire fencing.

Tips and tricks, might find something to help in here:
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

 

[ReillyJ]

Thanks both for your reply!

Well, putting a mesh in the run will be easy, it is a dog house probably 6' x 8', plenty big and it has 2 entrances to the run so i could run a mesh through the middle no problem, they can see each other but not reach each other. The run is concrete but i have it filled with pine shavings, it has a chain link fence around it and a roof and encased in hardwire, predators have never come in.
The doghouse will be another issue, it has one door entrance and i'd have to figure out how to separate that and be able to go in both areas, i suppose i can figure that out. That way they'll both have coop/run but it'll be divided in half (if i can think of how to do the doghouse, LOL. And i already have separate feeding stations. I have 2 hens left and they look pretty sad, had 4 to begin with. I am hoping that after a few weeks of getting to know the new girls, that they will be happier.... i hope so at least
Here again is the pic of the dog house, it has roosts and nesting boxes, i'll have to put another roost in on the opposite side.

Oh, i plan on HOPEFULY getting young hens like 5-6 months old, not chicks and probably at THE MOST, 4 of them. And i will put some stuff in the run to make it 3D so to speak. I'll let the 2 older ones out to free range during the day like i always do so the new ones will have time to "themselves"...this is if i'm able to find some on Craigslist. And then maybe about a month out, i'll let the new ones free range but for a very limited time.

 

[Wolfgang B.]

Your situation sound pretty much like ours last year. We were down to 2 hens and wanted to add 4 new ones to our flock ( all Isa Browns). We have never heard or thought of quarantine so we just put the five months old new chickens to the two older ladies.
Here's the interesting part: one of the older two was on the bottom of the pecking order her whole live and also didn't really get along that great with the other older hen. But when we added the four new ones you should have seen both of them...
Suddenly they turned into tight sisters in arms against the "invasion of the youngsters". A couple pecks in the right places in the first few days and the new ladies knew their position in the flock. Now they're all friends. Chickens... ❤

 

[adstowe]

If it were me, I'd cull your remaining 2. They likely aren't going to lay much at that age anyway. Start fresh with 6 pullets from the same source. That eliminates the integration and quarantine issue and you will be getting a much better feed to egg ratio with younger birds.

 

[Folly's place]

Your coop looks nice! There will be some drama, and separation for a short time may be needed, but new birds will be nice to have too.
Be careful about sourcing, as you don't have room to isolate, and don't want to add diseases. That's why I get hatchery chicks rather than local birds from craigslist or where ever.
I wouldn't eliminate the two old ladies unless they were unwell, unless it's crockpot time for your family. Mary

 

[ReillyJ]

Thanks, Folly's place!

I have never culled a chicken nor plan to unless like you said, they're really sick. i couldn't eat Thelma or Lucy, LOL. Not keeping them for eating, just for the rest of their natural lives but i sure miss the eggs.
So you don't think CL would a good idea? i wouldn't get ones that looked like they came from a dirty home or looked unwell. I've never had chicks before and wouldn't know what to do with them (of course, i'd have to learn and have to have a place for them) and they don't come out until Spring, right? So i'd have to wait...

Here are some examples of locals: (i'd like at least 3, preferably 4 at the most)

https://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/grd/d/bantam-chickens-chicks/6380127736.html

https://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/grd/d/beautiful-blue-splash-pullets/6382395766.html

IDK about this one, i much prefer pics. And i'd wouldn't want hens more than a year old

https://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/grd/d/laying-hens/6382295060.html

 

[JedJackson]

Thanks, Folly's place!

I have never culled a chicken nor plan to unless like you said, they're really sick. i couldn't eat Thelma or Lucy, LOL. Not keeping them for eating, just for the rest of their natural lives but i sure miss the eggs.
So you don't think CL would a good idea? i wouldn't get ones that looked like they came from a dirty home or looked unwell. I've never had chicks before and wouldn't know what to do with them (of course, i'd have to learn and have to have a place for them) and they don't come out until Spring, right? So i'd have to wait...

Here are some examples of locals: (i'd like at least 3, preferably 4 at the most)

https://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/grd/d/bantam-chickens-chicks/6380127736.html

https://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/grd/d/beautiful-blue-splash-pullets/6382395766.html

IDK about this one, i much prefer pics. And i'd wouldn't want hens more than a year old

https://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/grd/d/laying-hens/6382295060.html

You're not far from me at all. Nice to see semi-locals on here. Craigslist is a mixed bag as far as buying goes. People can and do sometimes sell sick birds or lie about sex, so you end up losing your investment and have a whole lot of heartache before that. My advice, before buying, is to study the breeds a bit and to know what you want. Andalusians will be flighty birds, bantams are usually not great layers and lay small eggs when they do. So study up a bit and you might also put a shout out in a few threads in here saying you are looking to buy pullets in Western Washington-- it's possible you'll find someone from in here who can help you. Good luck!