Introducing New Chicks Into a Flock

How to Introduce New Chicks to Older Hens Safely

Every other year we’re faced with a tricky chicken management dilemma How to introduce new chicks into a flock of mature hens Years ago, we didn’t do it right and ended up with adolescent hens persecuted by older birds Over the years we’ve found ways to successfully merge young birds harmoniously with older hens

Why Do It

 

When female chicks are four to six months old, they’ll start the most productive laying cycle of their lives For the next year they’ll lay anywhere from 200

Tips for Integrating Chicks Into an Existing Flock

Oh happy day! Your baby chicks are fully feathered and you’re excited to put them in the chicken coop with the other chickens But wait! Don’t just put the new birds in the coop and assume everything will be awesome Your older flock might not take kindly to the new birds, and there are several things you need to do to keep the younger chickens safe
When integrating chickens, size matters If at all possible, wait until your chicks are roughly the same size as your exiting flock I have successfully integrated smaller chickens, but you will want to be

Adding New Baby Chicks Into Your Flock

If you’ve seen our social media posts lately, you know that we’ve proudly added 4 new baby chicks to our flock this month To say I was excited was an understatement! Rosemary, Big Betsy, Scarlet O’Henna, and Opal are growing rapidly and adjusting well It’s only February here in Minnesota, so it’s a bit early for “chick days” You could say I may have jumped the gun a little, but it all worked out great!

I ordered my chicks and received them via mail My sister also ordered some chicks, so together we had enough for them to ship to

How to Integrate Your Chicken Flocks

Almost every backyard keeper starts out with a firm number in mind Six chickens, maybe ten, absolutely no more Then spring arrives, the local farm supply store puts out an irresistible assortment of chicks, and somehow that number keeps climbing It’s one of the friendliest slippery slopes there is The catch is that you can’t simply open the coop door and let everyone sort it out Pecking order is no joke in the chicken world, and it has real consequences if you aren’t careful Here’s a safe, proven method for integrating your chicken flocks that lets birds get acquainted