I want to get 2 more chickens (have 3 4 year olds at the moment, 2 warrens and 1 sussex hybred) when is the best time of year to introduce new ones, now or in the spring, and is it best to put them in the coup at night or let them run loose in the run first, any answers greatly appreciated
Introducing new chickens
- Thread starter mazbaz
- Start date
tygrysek75
Member
Hi,plenty advise on the older post please look on the forum 
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It really depends on what sort of hens you want, ie purebred or hybrid layers, and when you want them to start to lay. Purebreds are generally hatched in the Spring and thus are coming up to lay by about August - September. Because of the time they are hatched, young purebreds at POL are usually not available until after midsummer. You can buy them as growers, ie 10 -16 weeks old, and bring them on until about 22+ weeks when they start to lay. At that age they will not be so expensive as POL pullets. You may be able to buy some now, which haven't started laying yet, but these will be unlikely to lay before the days begin to lengthen after the solstice. You'll have to grow them on and feed them all through the winter, which is OK if you want to do this and gives them time to settle in.
Hybrids are often hatched in Spring, just the same as purebreds, but some breeders hatch in November, overwinter the chicks/growers under cover, and have them for sale as POL by Feb.- March. So POL hybrids are available nearly all the year round. However, many people prefer birds that have been hatched in Spring because they've had the advantage of living outdoors in sunlight and eating Spring grass (if not raised in intensive commercial conditions.)
As Tygresek says, there are quite a few posts about introducing chickens, but basically it boils down to this;
1) Divide your run or put them in a separate run + coop if you have one, for at least 2 weeks, to see if they have any health problems they might pass on to your birds. If they can see the older birds, this may help when you integrate them. You can make a temporary box for them to roost in, no perch needed, so long as it's dry and safe for them at night.
2) Don't put them in with the older hens if they're much younger as they will be bullied. If the others are adults, keep the youngsters apart until they are at least 20 weeks and can stand up for themselves.
3) Put them in the coop with the older birds after dark, when they are all asleep. Sleeping together and waking up as a flock will help them to be accepted, whreas if you just bung them in to the run in daylight they'll be attacked as intruders. Watch out for trouble, there will be some chasing and pecking but this is normal. Only intervene if things get nasty, ie blood is shed. Provide extra feeders and drinkers at first, and if the newbies look a bit frazzled or you think they're not eating properly, give them an hour as 'time out' in their original enclosure to rest and feed.
Hybrids are often hatched in Spring, just the same as purebreds, but some breeders hatch in November, overwinter the chicks/growers under cover, and have them for sale as POL by Feb.- March. So POL hybrids are available nearly all the year round. However, many people prefer birds that have been hatched in Spring because they've had the advantage of living outdoors in sunlight and eating Spring grass (if not raised in intensive commercial conditions.)
As Tygresek says, there are quite a few posts about introducing chickens, but basically it boils down to this;
1) Divide your run or put them in a separate run + coop if you have one, for at least 2 weeks, to see if they have any health problems they might pass on to your birds. If they can see the older birds, this may help when you integrate them. You can make a temporary box for them to roost in, no perch needed, so long as it's dry and safe for them at night.
2) Don't put them in with the older hens if they're much younger as they will be bullied. If the others are adults, keep the youngsters apart until they are at least 20 weeks and can stand up for themselves.
3) Put them in the coop with the older birds after dark, when they are all asleep. Sleeping together and waking up as a flock will help them to be accepted, whreas if you just bung them in to the run in daylight they'll be attacked as intruders. Watch out for trouble, there will be some chasing and pecking but this is normal. Only intervene if things get nasty, ie blood is shed. Provide extra feeders and drinkers at first, and if the newbies look a bit frazzled or you think they're not eating properly, give them an hour as 'time out' in their original enclosure to rest and feed.
Sue
New member
I picked my pure breeds up this March from the breeder and they were 19-21 weeks. I had booked them in November. They were already laying when I collected them.
I have recently introduced two new ones in with them. The older ones are now 1 year old and the new ones were 19 weeks (also pure breeds) they haven't laid yet. I kept them in a separate run/coop next to the other birds for 1 1/2 weeks and as I knew my original birds were quite gentle and wouldn't try to kill the newbies, I decided 1 1/2 weeks was enough. They were from a good breeder whose birds were healthy and they had been vaccinated. I was happy that the new birds were healthy, so put them into the house at night with the others, not as soon as the others had gone in, but after they had had time to settle first. I was also given a good tip of putting lavender on all the birds (new and old), so that they all smelt the same. I just coated my hands in lavender oil and smoothed this over the wings. I'm sure this helped. I had a bit of chasing away from food, but no pecking at all. I put several feed and water containers around the run so everyone had access to something away from the others. It took 2 weeks for the chasing to stop and now they all snuggle up together. The two new ones do stick together though and follow each other everywhere!
I have recently introduced two new ones in with them. The older ones are now 1 year old and the new ones were 19 weeks (also pure breeds) they haven't laid yet. I kept them in a separate run/coop next to the other birds for 1 1/2 weeks and as I knew my original birds were quite gentle and wouldn't try to kill the newbies, I decided 1 1/2 weeks was enough. They were from a good breeder whose birds were healthy and they had been vaccinated. I was happy that the new birds were healthy, so put them into the house at night with the others, not as soon as the others had gone in, but after they had had time to settle first. I was also given a good tip of putting lavender on all the birds (new and old), so that they all smelt the same. I just coated my hands in lavender oil and smoothed this over the wings. I'm sure this helped. I had a bit of chasing away from food, but no pecking at all. I put several feed and water containers around the run so everyone had access to something away from the others. It took 2 weeks for the chasing to stop and now they all snuggle up together. The two new ones do stick together though and follow each other everywhere!
