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The number one thing you have to think of when introducing your chickens to a new coop is how long to leave them there so they can get familiar with it. However, this will not convince your new flock that this is their new home. You need to do your best to make it not only comfortable but also safe. As your chickens will be roosting here, you need to provide them with everything they need.
Once your new birds have had a chance to integrate into the flock, it will be easier for them to cope with the one bully. Bullying and aggression can occur when chickens meet birds of a different colour, and it may take them a long time to get used to them than birds of the same colour. Check that they can access food and water during the day.
INTEGRATE
Otherwise, it’s easy for them to pick up parasites from wild birds or even older hens in your flock. You’ve got yourself some chickens and now you’re looking to expand your flock. The fights between them will not only be bloody but could also lead to one or both birds dying in a nasty fashion. Unless you have raised the roosters from chicks together, and there are plenty of hens for them to share, it is not advised to keep roosters together. Alternatively, if you purchase chicks or hatch them in an incubator, you will probably have some issues when you try to integrate the new members. As such, for the first weeks, you will need to keep the chicks separate from the rest of the flock and in their own coops or runs.
If your chicken’s crowd, that can lead to more pecking and aggression. Instead, make sure the birds have enough room to move around and spread out. Another common problem is not having enough resources for the chickens. This can happen when people don’t provide enough food or water for the new birds.
Flock Integration with Broody Hens
It can result in fights and injuries if they are left in confined spaces for too long. Some chickens, if not properly settled in, can opt to sleep in trees, your roof, or the highest place they can find around. But if you want the settling in to happen faster, you can use the tips provided above.
To help ease tension between your existing flock of chickens and your new baby chicks, give them time to get used to each other slowly. Starting with just one or two new members will help keep things manageable and give everyone time to adjust without overwhelming anyone too much at once. Once they seem comfortable in their enclosure, move them into a small area with just one or two of your existing hens. Put some food and water out for them and watch how they interact with each other for about an hour. If you’re introducing chicks to a flock of adult birds, wait until they’re at least six weeks old, but eight weeks or older is better. The chicks can get killed by the bigger birds if they aren’t big enough to defend themselves.
Taking Your New Chickens Back to Their Coop
Young hens’ health is harmed by having to use their energy resources to deal with stress, heal injuries, and compete for resources. The key is that it’s a place where the chickens haven’t spent a lot of time and where they’re not familiar with the other birds. If you don’t have a large enough yard for free-range introductions, or if your chickens are particularly territorial, you can introduce them in neutral territory.
When you put your chickens in their new coop for the first time, you will want to make it the most beautiful coop in the world. You can place some nesting boxes with grass and everything they could ever dream of right at their fingertips. The first and most important reason for flocking is to preserve resources.
A Note About Roosters
It will take about 5 to 6 weeks from when your new chickens arrive until all of them fully integrate into your current flock. Most chickens will remain in small groups in the wild and not try to join another flock. However, while in a backyard flock, they don’t have much choice; therefore, we need to be cautious with the introductions. If necessary, place him in a separate area from the rest of the flock.
Use food to lead them into the coop, and repeat the process until they go there on their own. If it's just the three of them, I would let them work it out with plenty of space and feed. Just step in if they are seriously injuring each other, and eventually they will be able to roost together. If the new birds are getting enough to eat and aren’t showing signs of bleeding or feather lose it is most likely normal. Just make sure to keep multiple feeders and waterers out so everyone gets enough to eat.
She did get in there at one point while they were out in pen and she immediately claimed a nesting box and made a space for herself. I am not sure at what point I can try to let them all in the coop together. I don't want her to chase them out of their coop and make them afraid to go back in at night.
Most chickens would remain in small clusters in the wild and would not try to join another flock. However, since flock owners do not offer them many options in a backyard flock, you must exercise caution in introducing a new one. Pecking may get violent, mainly if the hens form a gang, proficiently killing another chicken. Roosters will engage in cockfight with another rooster, which may continue until one of them is dead. Yes, you can introduce a rooster to your flock – provided that your flock doesn’t have an integrated rooster. If you choose to bring a rooster into your flock, you run a significant risk of violent fights and severe injury regardless of age.
We found this great video if you need other creative ways to catch your chickens. Or if you don’t want to watch the video, look at Tips for Catching Chickens. Have a person at either end of the wood and drag the wood across the floor- moving the chickens back towards their coop. If your chickens aren’t in their coop yet gently move them towards the coop- we do this by using a large sheet of wood (8×6 foot). However, if your dogs and cats chase them, it’s best to keep them apart. If you are bringing chickens home that is filled with other pets, make sure to slowly introduce them under supervision.
The answer to this question mainly depends on both the breed and age of the chickens which you’ve bought. After a week or so, they will leave and return to their coop on their own and your chickens will be settling in nicely. As previously mentioned, to do this, just leave the coop door open and sprinkle food out in the pen. We’ve always found that by getting the chickens to use to the coop they are much more likely to go back into the coop when it’s dusk. If you’ve built your own coop, run, or yard for your chickens now is a good time to test its ability to contain them as well as the safety of the coop. The more curious chickens will leave the coop first and explore but within a few minutes, the rest of the flock should come out and join them.
Chickens are attracted to the colour red, and a bird that is bleeding is a target for the whole flock. Hang old CDs and some spring greens from different places in the run. Scatter corn in the run at regular intervals to take the attention off new birds and give them a chance to eat. Neither group has an established territory, so this can sometimes work well.
So, I had to beef-up pen-within-pen, re-catch Barred Rock, put her back in, and still make work on time. Make sure they’re old enough – at least 14 weeks, or as large as the birds they’ll join. You should be on hand during those first meetings, just to make sure the aggression doesn’t escalate.
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