Topic: adding new hens

[PHILMT]

i have got four new hens arriving at the weekend and was wondering if anyone as any tips on how to add them to my 7 i have already... is it a case of just putting them together.  thanks for any advice xx

[Lost in France]

If you just add them to your flock, there will be some fighting as they sort out a new pecking order. If you are able to introduce them gently, by putting them in a run inside your existing one, then they can become familiar before they join the flock. They may still squabble but it will be far less.

You should always keep new birds separate for a period of at least couple of weeks just to make sure that they are healthy and don't introduce anything to your existing birds. I recently introduced new birds and kept them apart for a month and then just added them as they were larger than my hens who are quite gentle so the little period of squabbles was short-lived as the new birds were well able to stand up for themselves!

Good luck with the new birds,

Judi

[northener]

Yeah good luck you'll need it. Like france says try to build a run at the side initially. We tried introducing 4 sussex to our 3 yr old rhodeys they were still scrapping a week later. We ended up building another run . Its not nice to witness. Another way is introduce them at dusk so they all roost together then split em next morning .

[PHILMT]

thank you.. think i'l take the advice on the extra run.. i read in a book that you should put them all in a coop and shut the door for 5 days so they can sort themselves out.  i think it would be a bit cruel this time of year as it gets fairly warm in ther..

[OliveOil]

If you are keeping them separate for hygiene and disease control then they need to be completely separate with no contact for at least 2 weeks so a pen in a pen is not really ideal.

When you introduce them I usually do either of the following:

Put them in and let them get on with it - never had any problems, you only usually have probs when just adding one or two birds.

The other way is to put the new ones in with the old ones at night and lock them up til morning - let them out and it is usually pretty quiet without too much fuss.

My chickens even now will have the odd spat.

[Trixiebelle]

Another question about adding new hens!

I've only got one chicken left now. My other 2 ladies died recently.

The chicken left (Mabel!) was definitely the ruler of the roost. If I introduced 3 more point of lay black rocks would she bully them or mother them?

Chicken relationship dynamics are beyond my knowledge base!

Thanks in advance XX

[northener]

Not sure she might be pleased of the company.

[OliveOil]

Trixie - do it at night adn let them get on with the scrapping in the morning thats all i can say. OR you could put one hen in with her and then put the other 2 in the next day.  Personally i let them fight it out, they soon stop!

[teresa]

Put them in together like OO says best at dusk and in a week all will be ok. I tried adding one hen to my bunch no good she is still on her own they would not have her at all. I tried for a fortnight then gave up.
Just put extra water and feed dishess or scatter the food around so they all get something.

[PHILMT]

well i got taken by suprise by the hens ariving 2 days early and had no choice but to add them straight to the others. (they came from someone i know so i kinda know they are healthy - but i treated them for mites first) i added them last thing at night and they settled down ok.  The next morning they wouldnt leave the shed and my old ones where very aggressive to them and this happend for about 3 days. its now 5 days later and they all are getting on better but we still get the odd fight and they are all comming out and TRYING to get on. I am quite pleased it is working out ok because was worried.  thanks for all the advice. xx

[Marymary]

Glad it's all working out Phil, I've got to work out how to introduce my chicks who are about half grown now - think I'll leave it a couple more weeks. 

[OliveOil]

Glad it worked out - they WILL settle I promise. You will always get cranky chickens but they really do settle, in fact i can barely tell my top chicken now out of the big ones.

As for introducing babies - how old are they? There can be more difficulties and big ones will kill little ones.

[Marymary]

[Just seen this]

The babies are 10 weeks now - half grown - I am thinking of giving the main run a really good clean out & the hen house next weekend & putting the babies in then - I shall also change the run over [we alternate between 2] which should be  abit of a distraction.  The big girls are all fairly placid so fingers crossed.  :)  Any tips or advice - not done it before with youngsters.

[amberlove]

hello

[Marymary]

Hello, amberlove.  Have you got chickens?  :)