What to expect when adding new hens

[Miks]

I had a pretty rough integration with 3 adult girls into my 10 adult flock of hens.

I went with the free range method and for many days the new girls would return to their temporary coop at night and the flock to the main coop.

We continued this for a very long time as i didn’t want to force the issue. We had some squirmishes on and off.

Once i did put them in the same coop i did make sure to move the food and water from the mini coop in along with them and added a few new items to try and deflect attention.

Pretty sure it took over a month. Slow! Gradual! Let the birds guide you in the process. They may move in easily and they may resist.

Good luck and enjoy the new girls!

Wow! Thanks for sharing! I’m definitely not going to rush it! I’m grateful you shared your journey. I will be sure to take my time. They bring me so much joy and I don’t want them to hurt each other. Thanks so much!

 

[Miks]

Why not add the BSL one at a time into the EE pen. Once they are all getting along then take the divider away.

Wow! That’s another great option! I might give that a try and let you know. Thanks!

 

[Miks]

This is an important question...along with how big is your run, in feet by feet.
Do you free range?
That can help.

This tips might help too.
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.

The coop is supposed to fit 18. Everyone laughs and says it’s a palace because they have so much space. They only use one of the perches at night so there is plenty of room to add the other perch when adding the new birds. They get to free range a few times a week when I can be outside with them. We have plenty of hawks flying overhead, especially at noon everyday, so I’m afraid to leave them out. They are very affectionate with me and come when called. They even follow me around the yard and help me when I’m pulling weeds. I have one follows underneath me when I’m bent over plucking weeds. She will scratch at the weed as if to help loosen it and I pluck the we go to the next one. My husband says she helps me weed and this can go on for hours. But they seldom stray very far away from me.
Back to the coop... three nesting boxes but one is closed off, they only use two. The enclosed run area is about 8’x5’x8’H. I’ve built in perches and the floor is all pavers, then filled with sand. They love to dust in the sand. Their nesting boxes have Astro turf in them. I originally blocked the boxes when they were little so they wouldn’t start sleeping and pooping in their boxes. It worked like a charm and the Astro turf stays clean. I also hung curtains for privacy! Like I said a palace LOLOLOL!
I’m a newbie at all of this and sometimes worry they are too domesticated, if that’s possible?
I absolutely love them which is why I want to give this the very best opportunity to be a peaceful union. I so appreciate everyone’s recommendations!

 

[aart]

The coop is supposed to fit 18.

Right....but is that the manufacturers claim(always grossly exaggerated)?
So, how big is it in feet by feet?

 

[Miks]

Right....but is that the manufacturers claim(always grossly exaggerated)?
So, how big is it in feet by feet?

So it is 8’W x 4’D x 8’H. Three large nesting boxes and the coop sleeping quarters are about 4’H x 4’W x 4’D.

Does this help? The run space is currently divided with one side larger for the adults. I have plastic netting separating them that have 1” holes. They can see each other all day long.

 

[Onslow's Hens]

8x4 is a very small run area if this is where they live most of the time. Try to give them as much free range as possible. A great idea to help with over head predators is to give them places to get under through out the free range area in case a hawk swoops down. This can be as simple as a lawn chair etc. placed around the yard. Not saying this is fool proof but does give them a safe place to duck into just in case. If it were me, I would introduce them while free ranging. In an 8x4 pen, the newbies will get picked on because they can not get away in a space that small. Sometimes introducing new birds takes a very long time. I have a grow out pen with a small prefab chicken coop for the newbies that sits inside the large chicken yard area. They can see each other thru the pen but not rough up the babies. After a few weeks, let the babies out to free range with the adults. When dusk is approaching, put the babies back in their pen for the night. This way they are never enclosed together (until they fully accept each other). It is a sloooowwww process but worth it to keep all safe. The key to keeping chickens from different hatches together is SPACE.

 

[aart]

the coop sleeping quarters are about 4’H x 4’W x 4’D.

So a 4x4 coop and 4x8 run....way too small for 18 birds,
more like 4 (best friend)birds at best.
Crazy small for integration.

 

[Miks]

8x4 is a very small run area if this is where they live most of the time. Try to give them as much free range as possible. A great idea to help with over head predators is to give them places to get under through out the free range area in case a hawk swoops down. This can be as simple as a lawn chair etc. placed around the yard. Not saying this is fool proof but does give them a safe place to duck into just in case. If it were me, I would introduce them while free ranging. In an 8x4 pen, the newbies will get picked on because they can not get away in a space that small. Sometimes introducing new birds takes a very long time. I have a grow out pen with a small prefab chicken coop for the newbies that sits inside the large chicken yard area. They can see each other thru the pen but not rough up the babies. After a few weeks, let the babies out to free range with the adults. When dusk is approaching, put the babies back in their pen for the night. This way they are never enclosed together (until they fully accept each other). It is a sloooowwww process but worth it to keep all safe. The key to keeping chickens from different hatches together is SPACE.

Oh my! This is not good at all! So if you feel it’s too small (my sizes were estimated a tad on the small side but only by a foot or so). I walk in and can walk around freely inside with everyone running around me. Do you think it’s too small and I shouldn’t try to make it work? Maybe I need to build a new one. 3+3=6. I really thought they’d have enough space.

 

[twendt]

I have 6 hens in this space... 12x24 ft of garden space and a coop 4x4 and run 4x8. They are never closed in the run, unless the weather is zero or below. We cover the hardware cloth with thick clear vinyl for wind block in the winter.

 

[Oakhammockchick]

That's exactly how I integrated mine last week. They were 8 weeks old at the time and my older hens are 18-24 months. I let them free range together for a couple hours in the evening the first couple days and then on day 3, let them out in the morning to free range together all day while I was home to be able to check on them. They still go to their separate coops at night, which is fine with me but are doing great together as a flock during the day. Good luck!

Just what we did. No problems. 3 evenings of free range. 3 nights of each in their own coop. Day 4 everyone in the run in the morning and let them figure it out. Old hens educated the new rooster. They didn't hurt him, but I know they made him a better rooster.