Introducing new chickens into a flock

[Charity Dubberley]

I've been doing some google research, but there are so many methods and ideas its a bit overwhelming! We have 6 chickens in our flock (one bantam), 2 1/2 years old. We'd like to add 2-3 more hens to increase our egg production. It seems its best the older the new chickens are, but does anyone have advice/experience on the best way to introduce them?

My idea was to keep the new girls in an extension to the coop for 1-2 days to get used to each other (with a fence between), then slip them into the roost at night. Ideas/thoughts?

Thanks!
Charity

[Christa Backson]

That is what I did Charity. We made a fenced off area within the coop and put the new pulettes in there. It only took a few days then we released them to all be together. The older hens were a bit bossy when it came to food, but not abusive. Worked out well! 

[Kathy Rem]

That's exactly how we have done it with our girls. There is always going to be a pecking order but they all get used to each other.
Kathy

On Tue, Jul 24, 2012 at 12:13 PM, Charity Dubberley <clk...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Preston Holmes]

So to revive this topic - we are doing this now. The socialization is just fine - but the problem I have is with the food.  The young ones can't reach the food, and I don't think they can eat the lay pellets due to size, and am not sure they should be getting the minerals yet?

If I leave the crumble in a common space, my older hens tend to gobble it up.

Any tips?

-Preston

[Christine Heinrichs]

I allow separate feeding. At least twice a day, I put the baby inside the coop with her feed and give her half an hour or so before those bullies come in and push her aside to gobble up every crumb. My 12-week-old is big enough to manage for herself but I still take note and give her some time to feed on her own.

I've also heard about 'creep feeders' which allow small birds to eat but not larger ones. Let me know if you figure out something about them.

--
Christine Heinrichs