# introducing chickens



## taoga (Oct 28, 2012)

I just took a chicken that was getting picked on at the barn where I keep my horses. She had to live outside the coop and seemed unhappy. She is in with my goats and has her own little coop to go into. My question is: what is the best way to introduce another chicken so she won't have to be alone? Does she have to have another one or are they ok alone? She is about a yr old....would it be better to introduce a younger one?


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## romanad (Sep 22, 2012)

Chickens are happier with a friend. They tend to be like goats on that, so getting her a pal would probably cheer her up. We've only introduced new chicks (once they were older) to our chickens, and we just let them out a little at a time once they were old enough. 

First, we blocked off a small section (very rough little pin made from scrap wood and chicken wire and a little net roof) and let the new ones stay there during the day so they could meet the old ones through the chicken wire. Then, when everyone seemed used to that, we would let them out in the rest of the yard while we supervised, and then finally took the pin down and all the chickens were together.

A younger might be better, as she might be able to establish herself as boss. I've only had chickens for a couple of years, but maybe something here will help. Good luck!


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

taoga said:


> I just took a chicken that was getting picked on at the barn where I keep my horses. She had to live outside the coop and seemed unhappy. She is in with my goats and has her own little coop to go into. My question is: what is the best way to introduce another chicken so she won't have to be alone? Does she have to have another one or are they ok alone? She is about a yr old....would it be better to introduce a younger one?


Chickens suffer depression when alone. They're flock creatures. Yes they do need "friends". Realistically you can choose whatever age/size you'd like.

Best way is (after week quarantine) to lock them up in the coop together for one week minimum. This establishes a "safe-zone" or home for both of them. They'll recognize home and go there at night, which is very important in working chickens. Aids in vaccinations, testing, tagging, nail trimmings, dusting, etc. Put the new bird in at night with the lights off. It's a MUCH smoother transition phase when they wake up together. "Oh hey there!" Kind of moment.

Since you have just one and you're introducing another one, you will have slim to no problems. Promise you. We get new breeders every year, and have hardly any problems in all our groups ranging in number from 3-40. Once they get past the whole "I'm more regal than you" phase, which can take up to a week (with some normal teasing later on). Don't take pity on them. It's completely natural to establish a hierarchy. Unless your hen is literally killing the new arrival (I've NEVER had this problem), they'll work their differences.

Other option is to keep the other hen in a little wire dog carrier inside the coop. Keep it locked during transition. After a day or two, pull hen #2 out, remove kennel. Then start your week transition to make sure they start bonding, learning where food, water, nesting boxes, perches, home is.

I highly prefer the first method, as this is what I have been doing for years.


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## Countrygal (Apr 5, 2013)

We just added a hen to our flock a couple weeks ago without any problems. My girls free range all day then go in their coop to eat and in their house at dusk. I put the new one in the house and shut the door. The other girls could hear her but not see her. After the 2nd day I let the new one in the coop...shutting the door to the field so they could all see eachother. At night I shut the new girl back in the house and the others slept on the roosts in the coop. After that I took the new one out and waited for the others to bed down in the chicken house....once they were settled and it was dark, I put the new girl in the house with them. The next morning they all made their way out in the coop and out to the field without any problems. I'm not sure the girls even realized they had a new friend!


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

I have a pretty large area and will be facing this soon myself. I bought 3 silkie chicks and am raising them in my lanai till they are a bit bigger. When they are I plan on doing an introduction to the rest of the flock. Mongoose here like to eat silkies so I really need to keep them with the other hens and the feral rooster.


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## taoga (Oct 28, 2012)

Does anyone see a problem with introducing a baby...or should it be an adult?


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

taoga said:


> Does anyone see a problem with introducing a baby...or should it be an adult?


1-make sure they're completely feathered.
2-make sure there is at least 4 of them to group.
3-make sure they still have access to heat, as cornering or huddling is very common. Even in the hottest days. Huddling was our number 1 killer when we first started raising chicks (with feathers even) in the adult flock.


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## BlissMeadows (Jan 9, 2013)

okay we just put a chicken in with our three hens same gender same breed. and We didnt put her in until night time the next day they were establishing i havent even seen them hang out together soo i've only seen three hens we.... why is there three hens? oh wait never mind haha the hens are all out there together red blends so easily i swear lol we introduced the new hen during the night time so they wouldnt know or wouldnt make noise because of predators. everything seems to have worked out just fine


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## russellp (Apr 10, 2013)

We just got our 13 new Barred Rock chicks.


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