introducing new chickens

[Philbasford]

hi everyone

we have 3 lovely girls and thinking about getting two more shortly, can anyone tell me how easy is it to introduce new birds to an existing flock?

Phil

[Philbasford]

[chickadoodle]

When we have introduced new birds we have always done it at night and put them into the house.  The first morning can be rather traumatic but try and let them get on, uninterupted, with the pecking order disagreement.  Any interference can only prolong the fighting.  Some birds are ok and submit straight away whilst others go at it hammer and tongs until the new hierarchy is established.  If you have the space and a moveable run you could move the run in the evening when the "old birds" are inside, then introduce the new ones.  In the morning neither group will know who is the new one as the area is different to both!  There will however inevitably be some disagreement. 

Leave them all confined in their run for about a week and then let them out to freerange in the late afternoon. They then shouldn't roam too far and should find their way home ok.  After a few days doing that you should be able to get back to their normal routine.

Good luck and have fun.

[jonny211]

I'd be interested to know how you get on (and how the existing chooks get on) with the new birds Phil, I may be doing the same in the spring.

I've always wondered if a new 15 week pullet would be pecked to bits by the older fully grown birds!

Jon

[beanie3]

After one passed away we decided to introduce two new pol chickens.  i would introduce no less that 2, as the 2 new will stick together if you only introduce 1 it will be bullied senseless!

Its not a pleasant experience - put the on the perch at night and let nature do its thing.  They will peck to sort out the "pecking order"....they do sort it out.  It took ours about two weeks to actually eat and drink together....they still have a little peck now and again.

Its really not pleasant to watch them sort it out but they do......if and its only a if one draws blood pull the chicken out, seperate but in view of the others.  good luck.