We started with ten chooks which for various reasons has been depleted to 5. We would like to increase our flock back to 10. Are there problems with introducing new birds. Is it better to introduce one at a time or five in one go.
Re: Chook Flocks Depending on the age of the new chooks, they will probably get beaten up by the already established flock until they sort out who is the boss. (Hence the term pecking order). My cranky mongrels won't even tolerate the ducks on some occasions but then the geese wade in and sort everything out again. Might I suggest keeping them in seperate runs for a couple of days and see how things pan out.
Re: Chook Flocks I just got advise on this recently and introduced 5 to a flock of 3. The 5 were young--raised from chicks--perhaps half sized and just fully feathered. The two group have just avoided each other. The elders don't like to be around the little peepers and vice versa. I don't know if the age discrepancy was part of it but I was expecting a fuss, but for our flock, this one time, is was pretty much a non-event.
Re: Chook Flocks I read that it's a good idea to add the new birds to the older birds after dark. Does anyone know if this is true? Also, it has been said that if you add young chicks, they may get attacked. An old farmer-girl friend of mine said if you have an older chookie who goes broody, mark the first day on the calendar, give her a few fake eggs to sit on, and add the chicks after dark on the 21st day. She said they seem to know it's a trick if the chicks 'hatch' too early. If it works, she will protect the chicks, the other hens will respect her 'babies', and she will raise them, which is easier than you doing it. I don't know if this works in all cases, but it sounds reasonable. Sue
Re: Chook Flocks Sue, Sounds reasonable as chooks have a 21day hatch period, generally. The eggs can hatch from day 17 on and I have seen bantams kick the introduced chickens out and want to stay on the eggs. Maybe it would be akin to handing a pregnant woman a newborn and saying this is yours and her knowing she is still pregnant. Also if you have a chook on eggs for 21 days, they will generally be hatching and the chook will have been listening to eggs 'peeping' for a few days. If the chook reaches full term, at this point you can add a few foreigners. If you have a clucky chook and wish for her to foster, from my experience, she will foster after about 10 days but remove all eggs over a 24 hour period. Understand if she has a dozen eggs under her she will have been clucky for over a month. cheers,