Best age to introduce.

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nippydee

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As per my introduction I have 2 16wk old marans and 2 stars around 15wks...

Seperated for 2 days in a wire pen where they were visable to the remaining three, I placed them in the coop overnight and they all trotted out with no fuss this morning - I couldn't hear any grumps in the coop. Tonight I have let them mingle until bedtime and am braced for the 'pecking order' to establish while I see if the younger ones follow into the coop through the pop hole.

I know there will be some squeaks and pecks while it calms down but as always my heart jumps for the younger ones!

Never had any problems introducing to my flock (fingers crossed) but i'm curious to hear what others think. What is the best age to introduce a new batch to your existing hens? Mine are about 4 weeks from POL so I wanted calm before laying commences.
 
I separated half a dozen of my hens into a new run (all around 3 years) and introduced a new young cockerel at 11 weeks old. I pretty much just threw them together and he was most def bottom of the pile, but after a week and a half, I saw him chasing some of the older hens today. He's still too young to work but it was good to see that he is starting to integrate.
 
Just had a read through another forum and some introduce 12 week olds to existing flocks..by accident or just by nature. I have never tried a cockeral as we have one nearby who crows for England and he is always handy if I need a worker.

They have seperated into two groups - so I think ill feed the young 4 in the run and take the older 3 for food in the garden come morning as they will be first out.

I hope that normal laying returns soon as they all settle in as the older birds didn't lay today - any excuse or disruption!
 
I would say the 'ideal' would be to wait until the new pullets were laying before they are introduced to an existing flock, can only speak from my own experience but in the three sets of introductions i have done non layers have seriously taken the brunt of things off the established birds, whereas laying birds have got a much milder going over.The aggression seemed to calm down once the younger birds started to lay, almost as if that made them 'real chickens' in the others eyes. I think you also have to consider size as well, a younger bird is smaller and less confident and therefore invites attack off the others, I personally wouldn't put anything younger than 18 weeks in with my lot or they would get a real good hiding, every flock is different of course. Cockerels may be a different matter I don't know, I'm having my first experience of them now, one of them a 8 week Welsummer bantam managed to escape from it's run when I opened the door and got into the big girls free range and proceeded to jump kick a 5lb Skyline who came over to investigate, though it soon ran when the top bird came charging at it hackles raised.
 
I entirely agree with all the points made by Dinosaw, and would just like to add that if you keep them apart until either they do start to lay, or they are at least 20-22 weeks old, you can maintain them on growers food, which has the lower calcium levels they need whilst still growing. Yes some individuals may start to lay at 19-20 weeks, but it's much more likely to be 22+ weeks, and it's better for them to take things slower and grow at an ideal, natural rate rather than having to eat food composed for the needs of hardworking hens in lay. They do actually grow in size quite a lot between 15-16 weeks and maturity, as well as becoming more confident as they progress through 'puberty.' Yes it's more convenient to be able to have them all in together, but from the point of view of their welfare, a delay is preferable if possible. I've found that eventual integration is much easier if they've had those weeks looking at each other through the wire, especially if the new ones are a different colour from the old girls.
 
I like them integrated before they start to lay so they can find their way around, find nest boxes etc. You just have to play it by ear as sometimes they integrate quite easily, other times it's a nightmare.
New stock are best isolated for two weeks before coming in contact with the existing flock in case of disease transference in either direction.
 
Hi,
I have 3 Silkie chicks that are now 9 weeks old, they spent 1 week in a large rabbit hutch, then one day i forgot to close the door properly and found them feeding with my top hen with no problems. they get put in there place but even the other hens do not peck them very hard. that night when i went out to put them away the 3 chicks were in the big coop with the other hens, so i let nature take it's course and now have 9 week old chicks in with the big girls. Strange.
Henry
 
I agree with Dinosaw and Marigold entirely. We never mix until they are laying and onto layers pellets. Still always add extra feeder and drinker to diffuse the 'hot spots'. Some seem to get away with earlier introductions but I worry about long term bullying as well -once a frightened chick at the bottom, still a frightened hen at the bottom.
 
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