Chicken Talk

[so lucky]

We have discussed here how to integrate new chicks to the flock, but does anyone have any special tips for integrating pullets?
My starry eyed chicken died this week, after a short illness. So that leaves me with only two of the 7 new chickens I bought a year ago. Since I am only getting 1 to 2 eggs a day now, I am thinking about getting maybe 3 more grown birds. Sometimes the farm store in my area has them.

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

integrating pullets is similar to the chicks but can be a little rough on the new birds. they will try to establish a pecking order so there may be some pulling of feathers till everyone finds their place.

 

[digitS']

Not knowing much about this sort of thing, I'll relate what my brother has done.

He leans a sheet of plywood against the inside wall of the coop. The room behind it is just wide enough for 1 chicken but there is an exit at both ends.

New birds hang out behind the plywood. If a bully shows up at one end, they make an escape at the other. They usually run in a circle and go right back behind the plywood. The older birds tire of chasing them in circles, don't react much when they can't see them, and become accustomed to them showing up once in awhile.

Having a timer and light on now should work well since the older birds can go to roost and the new birds have a chance to get to the feeder before the light goes off, late.

Steve

 

[Ridgerunner]

That plywood thing is not bad Steve, not bad at all. One way that chickens learn to live in a flock is that if there is a conflict the weaker runs away from the stronger or avoids them to start with. That gives them a way to run away and avoid.

So Lucky, if you can at all, house them side by side across a fence for about a week or so. Maybe split your coop with chicken wire. That doesn't take care of everything but it gets rid of the "new" thing. Then let them loose and see what happens.

They will have to establish a pecking order. If they are all about the same level of maturity that sometimes involves a bit of pecking and chasing, but as long as they have room to run away it normally works out. If one group is more mature than the other, the mature will outrank the immature. That's where the run away or avoid kicks in. So give them as much room as you can and maybe places to hide. Have feed and water stations spread out a bit so the weaker ones can eat and drink without challenging the stronger ones. If here is a maturity difference they will form separate flocks for a bit so they need room to do that. But once they mature, they will merge into one flock. With mine that is normally about the time they start laying.

Something else I've noticed. Mine are most brutal to each other on the roosts as they are settling in at night. It's fairly normal for the weaker to practice that avoid in the roosts and go somewhere else to spend the night. That can be your nests. It's a good idea to have plenty of roost space. I see this so often I put up a separate roost a little lower than the main roosts and separated horizontally a few feet but still higher than the nests. This gives them a safe place to go that is acceptable to me. I don't like poopy eggs.

 

[Smart Red]

Ridgerunner pretty much said what I do. Hiding places, extra roosting space, and more feeding areas. I have also split up my settled flock so each hen has some time alone with the new girls. Then I watch to see who works best with them and slowly add the old hens to the new ones rather than the other way around.

The meanest hens are left out of the new mix for the longest time. That means they are busy -- when they finally get home -- finding their spot in the new order.

 

[so lucky]

When I got new chicks last fall, I separated the coop with chicken wire before letting them mingle, but the chicks were still small enough to do that. Now, I'm not so sure. I have four 3.5 year olds, and two 1 year olds.
I do have two roosts, the new one about 6" lower than the original one, and at the other end of the coop. They all get on one roost sometimes now. And argue a lot about it.
I may have to get creative......
Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[canesisters]

Good advise all around!
When you get to the actual day of adding them in, do it at night. Place them on the roost after everyone had gone to bed. Or - even better - set up a lower roost just for the newbies and place them on it one night. They won't get as much grief in the morning as they would if they had been found up on the same level as the established flock.
Having plenty of room for the flock to spread out and places to hide is important.

 

[so lucky]

Something that just occurred to me today: The house across the road from us is for sale. About 6 acres and outbuildings, probably a 3 bedroom, one bath 960 sq ft house. It is getting a lot of attention, and I doubt if it will be on the market long. It seems like the dream mini-ranch, and is a nice setting, but the house is rough. I can envision a young DIY family with dogs running loose! There are no leash laws out here, and I have had plenty of problems already with neighborhood dogs chasing/catching my chickens, who have free range time every day. If I get three more chickens, and new neighbors move in with dogs, I will not feel as free to let the girls out to peck around. The fenced-in chicken yard is not really roomy enough for 9 chickens to happily be in full time. Now I am debating whether I should get any more. Bah! Now I will have to think about this!

 

[baymule]

Is your yard fenced so you can keep the dogs out?

 

[digitS']

Ah, worse case scenarios ruining your plans?

I know, there's worse and worser ... Discretion and valour and all that. Once burned and really burned!

Okay, I like to imagine myself as someone who isn't quick to make a decision but decides the time for the decision far in advance. Then, I hope to be working with as many of the facts of the matter as possible. If you wait a month, will you be too late for the pullet purchase? Perhaps, you will have new neighbors within just a few weeks and have some idea about them.

Young people often don't have pets until they are secure in a home. Looking across the road at hens in the neighbor's yard would certainly give some people pause in how their pet will fit into a new neighborhood. It may discourage them from owning a dog or what dog they have or prompt them to build a kennel.

Would having a laying flock be a good thing for your neighborhood? You already garden, isn't that a positive? There is a risk that dogs, or kids or other disruptors may scuttle your gardening. Or, parking your car in front of the house.

Another worse case -- would losing birds be too high of a price for taking the risk?

Steve