adding 13 week old chicks to existing flock of 6.

[chickadoodle]

Hi.I have 6 hybrids and 2 chicks about 13 weeks old (1x exchequer leghorn 1x aruacana) .They are house within the older girls pen sectioned off and have been there for 13 weeks separated by wire mesh.I have read lot's of articles about integrating them! Someone suggested spraying all of them with vinegar so they all smell the same and will not fight! Tomorrow night I am hoping to put the chicks in with the hens, leave them overnight, set out food and water X2, leave hanging veg about and sit back to watch! It's scarey having read other posts! Has anyone got any good ideas? Is 13 weeks too soon? Or am I just being overly protective? The leghorn came from eggs put under broody hybrid, from 6 chicks, 5 were cockerels! So my 'chicken man' took the boys and gave me the aruacana about the same age and size, so the 2 chicks would be together until they join the others. Any ideas would be gratefly received.

 

[victorias poultry]

Hi
From a personal view I would see firstly how big the chicks were, and if you feel are big enough would let them all out to free range whilst you were around during the day to keep an eye on them and gradually introduce them all into one henhouse.
Best just to play it by sight and trust your own judgement. If you feel they are being "bullied" too much then put them back into their own seperate run and try again in a few weeks time.
Do lets us all know how you get on

Sue

 

[ncotb]

Hi
From a personal view I would see firstly how big the chicks were, and if you feel are big enough would let them all out to free range whilst you were around during the day to keep an eye on them and gradually introduce them all into one henhouse.
Best just to play it by sight and trust your own judgement. If you feel they are being "bullied" too much then put them back into their own seperate run and try again in a few weeks time.
Do lets us all know how you get on

Sue

Was going to say the same!
Have got 5 mixed LF/bantam youngsters (16 wks - 7 mths) birds to introduce into the big run this weekend, but theres only a Silver Sussex & LS banty boy in there now, so fingers crossed all will be ok :lol: Saying that the Silver will keep the others in the hut for a couple of days til they get brave, luckily she doesnt really do anything - just stands guard :shock:

Let us know how you get on 07

 

[Anonymous]

I got 2 new chickens at around 13 weeks old and for 5 weeks kept them apart from my existing 2 but occasionally would put them all together to see how they got on. Each time I would have to dive in and rescue them from the vicious pecking from the established 2.
Eventually i read a post on here from someone who just waited till bedtime and put them all in coop together and all was fine. So, thats what I did and apart from the occasional bit of pecking they were all ok together!
It seems the easiest way to mix new with old!

 

[chickadoodle]

thankyou for your sugestions. I decided not to put them into the henhouse at night, just incase I came back to blood and guts everywhere! last night about 4.30 I let everyone out into the garden, they were so busy pecking at the ground it was some time before the leghorn fronted one of the older girls. She fluffed up and hit the old girl with her feet! Freckles retaliated, pecked at her and she fled. Then it rained, the two chicks had never got wet before! Leghorn looked quite depressed, tail down. AS it got dark, the older girls went to bed except one who was trying to get in via the ladder (closed off since June!) A pretty successful start, I plan to do the same tonight! I might take a flask of tea with me this time!

 

[Anonymous]

If they've already seen each other, putting them in at night would probably do the trick, that's what I've always done with good result. Looks like what you're trying is working, so keep it up

 

[Anonymous]

Sounds like a good start, i have also recently introduced some new girls to my flock. I too had them introduced through wire first, then i went for the distraction tactic, which needs a bit of prep. Got some mirrors, slices of pumpkin, cabbage and some new log perches and put it in all at once before removing the partition. It confused the resident hens so much that they have hardly noticed the three new girls. There has been a few small scuffles, but hasn't lasted long and they do have to sort out the pecking order at some point. Once they all settle into where they are in the grand scheme of things they are now fine.

Good luck Jo