When Do I Introduce Mama and Her Babies Back to the Flock

Keeping a backyard chicken coop is a fantastic way to ensure your family e'er has delicious fresh eggs on mitt. And if your household's need for eggs is on the rise for 1 reason or another—growing kids, more mouths to feed, or maybe even a new poly peptide-rich nutrition—you may exist because adding more chickens to your coop. But it'south not quite as elementary equally picking up some baby chicks and leaving them to fend for themselves aslope your hens. Your new chicks must be introduced properly to avert being bullied—or worse. Requite your new chicks the all-time take a chance of successfully integrating into the flock with these useful tips.

How many chicks should I bring domicile?

It'southward by and large advisable to introduce at to the lowest degree three baby chicks at a time to the older hens. Chickens are flock animals, and tend to practice ameliorate in groups with other birds of a like age. If you bring abode any less than iii chicks and one of them doesn't make it, you'll exist left with a lonely little chick, which tin lead to a number of problems. Chickens are social creatures, and infant chicks do better in a flock when they help each other and grow up together.

When purchasing baby chicks, information technology'southward recommended to lucifer the newcomers to your electric current flock. Choosing a mix of breeds is more successful when yous already take an assortment of breeds. However, if your flock is primarily ane breed, you'll want to stick with the same breed when purchasing new infant chicks so they'll be more than accepting of the newcomers.

The numbers matter as well. Add together at to the lowest degree iii baby chicks when you're looking to grow your flock. There'due south power in numbers; consider adding an equal corporeality of baby chicks to the electric current number of chickens. For case, if y'all accept five hens, yous may want to add together 5 baby chicks to balance the numbers equally and meliorate your chances for successfully integrating the newcomers into your flock.

Another important note: brand sure you have adequate infinite in your coop for all new additions. It'due south important to avoid crowding your birds—ensure every chicken in your flock has at least ii foursquare feet of inside living infinite abroad from the elements where they tin can (literally) spread their wings. You can learn more about how to raise chickens here.

WHEN CAN I Introduce THE NEW CHICKS TO THE FLOCK?

Babe chicks must exist raised on their ain to an accented minimum age of six weeks one-time before being introduced to the rest of your flock. If possible, wait until your pullets (young, non-laying hens) are 8-12 weeks old before making the introduction.

Chickens are extremely territorial, and will often injure or even kill newcomers if an introduction isn't done properly. Go on in heed that every flock has its own personality when information technology comes to accommodating new members—even chickens that are gentle with human handlers may be ruthless when information technology comes to bullying newbies (later all, the phrase "pecking club" exists for a reason.) In some cases, the older hens volition intimidate new baby chicks and so badly that they'll stop trying to eat and drink

HOW TO SAFELY Innovate YOUR NEW CHICKS

The adept news is that in that location are several steps you lot can take to make sure the introduction goes smoothly:

Introduce three or more new chicks to the flock at a time—they'll be able to support each other and will hopefully foreclose the older chickens from beating upward on whatsoever of them as well much.
A gradual introduction is a good thought—put your young pullets in a pet carrier or enclosure on the other side of the fence so the older chickens tin can go used to the sight and smell of them, which oftentimes makes the transition much easier for all.
When information technology'due south time to put the new pullets in the aforementioned coop every bit your older hens, consider a stealth afterward-dark operation. If yous introduce the newbies after your older hens have bedded down for the nighttime, their presence in the morning won't come equally such a shock.

You may also want to consider putting your older hens in a 2d enclosure for a few hours then the younger chickens can find the food and h2o without existence chased off and intimidated. Doing this a couple of hours a day for a few days can brand the transition easier when it's time for them to all live together.

To requite your newcomers some refuge, consider adding some escape routes for the notwithstanding-developing pullets. An easy, economical solution is to identify cardboard boxes in the coop, with cutouts small enough for a younger hen to escape, but too large for your older hens to fit through. Giving the newbies a place to get away from the bullying tin can help them stay healthy and confident until the older hens get acclimated to having them around.

Overall, continue an eye on things until all your chickens are used to living together. As your baby chicks grow and begin to lay eggs, they'll become more integrated with the older hens. The flock will be happy again, and the egg production will show it.

Still have questions most the best way to add together new chicks to your flock? End by your local IFA Land Store to get together some cognition from our poultry and animal wellness experts—we've seen it all, and we're happy to aid!

Information for this commodity was provided by Sandie Shupe, Poultry, Rabbit & Fauna Wellness Director, Ogden IFA Country Store; Maureen Goodrich, Poultry, Rabbit, Pet & Tack Director, Logan IFA Land Store; and Jill Singleton, Bagged Feed Category Managing director, IFA.

When Do I Introduce Mama and Her Babies Back to the Flock

Source: https://ifacountrystores.com/2020/chickens/introduce-new-chicks-to-flock/#:~:text=WHEN%20CAN%20I%20INTRODUCE%20THE,old%20before%20making%20the%20introduction.