Managing the Flock – Page 35 – TBN Ranch Chicken Keeping Resources

Adding Hens to an Existing Flock

Haven’t ever brought new chickens to an existing flock? Well, this can be an experience you won’t forget any time soon.
Best to understand the pecking order now before you learn the hard way. Here’s the truth, expect the worst, because your precious little newcomers are most likely going to be pecked hard by the older chickens.

Your existing flock isn’t going to take kindly to the new bird’s presence around food and water, the nesting area, or the coop for that matter. Seniority among a flock is serious business and the reorganization of social ranking can be brutal, even deadly. Space, space, and more space for a flock is a definite plus when introducing new birds. Multiple feeding areas and ample housing are equally important. Remember, size matters in the chicken world, the smaller weaker birds are at the greatest risk for injury and the least likely to get access to food.
Introducing new birds to a flock is not easy, even if the new birds have been housed directly in their view. My suggestion to you is if you keep hens in small quarters, it’s much easier to set up separate housing and avoid this unpleasant introduction altogether.
If you Have Lots of Space…
Having plenty of space for introducing new birds is not that difficult! As long as there is plenty of room for your new pullets or hens to escape from the existing flock. After about three weeks chickens establish a new pecking order and will live in organized harmony. Make sure there is food and water in two or three different locations. The boss hens may split up and deny food to the lower birds in the pecking order.
How Much Space?
Enough that your new birds aren’t constantly being chased, pecked, or harassed. The new birds will keep their distance, if they can’t, your space is too small.

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Basic Chicken Anatomy

Basic Anatomy

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Solutions for Chicks Pecking Each Other

Let’s start at the beginning with chicks in the brooder. Chicks don’t just peck each other for lack of something to do. There is an underlying problem causing them stress and/or aggravation. As with any living creature, the first and foremost necessity for well-being is comfort.
If a brooder lamp is necessary for warmth it shouldn’t be a blast of blinding light. You may want to make the switch from heat lamps altogether and switch to radiant heat from a radiant heat plate. This will solve your fluctuating temperature problem, and providing you have a good number of chicks, it will be sufficient in keeping them warm.
Note: If it’s brutal cold… you can supplement with a low-wattage red heat lamp. Low-wattage heat bulbs are sold for reptiles, I usually use a 50 or 100-watt, depending on how cold it is.
I’m convinced that happy and content chickens start in the brooder. It’s easy to tell if the brooder has comfort zones. You should see some birds huddled together under the heat source, some resting alone, some scratching in the litter, and some eating. Watch your chicks, their behavior says it all!