Summer is nearly here, so we thought we’d share some of the things we have learned about adding new flock members to our family.
For anyone who has or wants chickens, “chicken math” is probably a familiar term. For anyone unfamiliar with chicken math, it goes something like this: you want chickens, but you can’t just get one. You have to get a few so they can be a flock. Then, of course, you realize how great chickens are and you need (want) to get a Polish or a silkie for their quirky hair. Then, you get other chickens because why wouldn’t you want chickens who lay green eggs? Soon, you have 15+ chickens and counting. That’s chicken math. And with spring in full bloom, now is the perfect time to start adding new birds to your little flock. Getting new chickens, waterfowl, and game birds is always exciting, but there are a couple of key notes to ensure a flawless transition for these new flock members and your current critters.
Picking your new birds
When you pick out your new flock members, there are a couple of different age groups to pick from, so we decided to break down the benefits and difficulties each age group may have.
Fertilized eggs
If you have an incubation system or a broody hen and want to try your hand at hatching your very own eggs, you can purchase fertilized eggs. This is probably one of the hardest options to start with since it is not guaranteed that every egg will hatch. Even after hatching, not every chick will make it. However, hatching eggs can also be one of the most rewarding ways to add new flock members.
Fertilized eggs come from hens that have mated with a rooster. Without a rooster involved, hens continue laying unfertilized eggs. Hens will naturally become broody after laying a certain number of eggs, meaning you can let your girls incubate and hatch their own eggs if they are in a safe space where they won’t overheat or become sick. Incubating fertilized eggs takes around 21 days in a brooder. If you order fertilized eggs that are delivered via shipping, let them sit outside of the brooder for at least one day or up to ten upon receiving them. Placing eggs directly into a brooder without a buffer period may cause the embryo to overheat due to the temperature change from its shipping container and incubator and die.
Once the eggs are in the incubator, you’re going to want to turn them once every 8 or so hours for 17 days. Normally, a broody hen sits on and turns her eggs throughout the day to ensure the entire egg are receives equal amounts of heat. Then, on the 18th–20th day, you’re going to want to lock down your incubator until all the chicks have hatched and dried off. Locking your incubator down means you stop turning the eggs and leave the heater at a set temperature until all the eggs hatch. Once the chicks are out and about and you’ve cleaned up all the eggshells, you can follow the chick guide below.
Chicks and baby birds
Baby chicks are arguably the hardest of the age groups to bring into your flock. Eggs need heat and some maintenance but are mostly stable. From the teenager phase and on, birds are mostly self-sufficient. But baby chicks are delicate creatures requiring constant supervision. For starters, chicks grow furry down instead of feathers, so they can’t get wet and they need to stay under heaters for multiple weeks. In the field, chicks hide under their mother’s warm wings except to eat and drink. Chicks won’t be able to spend any significant time outside until they are, at minimum, four weeks old. Many breeders and farmers recommend waiting until chicks are at least six weeks old before taking them out and introducing them to their new flock members. After six weeks, they will have more of their adult feathers and be more resilient to cooler temperatures.
Pullets and cockerels
The teenagers of the chicken world; pullets are female chickens who have not yet laid eggs while cockerels are young roosters. It’s okay if you can’t tell the difference between the sexes yet. Chickens are like most other birds in that males and females often look nearly identical until they mature. At this age, the chickens will start to look like the adult versions. They will look a little goofy as their adult feathers grow in. At this age, they will start exhibiting gender specific personality traits like crowing. Pullets and cockerels will be mostly self-sufficient so as long as they have access to food, water, and shelter. We feed teenage chickens starter/grower feed until they are mature enough to lay eggs.
Full grown
With fully mature chickens, you might bring in hens that are already laying eggs. Mature chickens, like pullets, are independent. You will mostly be responsible for making sure they have access to food, shelter, and water. If your new hens are already laying eggs, it would be helpful for them to have designated nesting boxes.
Quarantining new flock members
You will need to quarantine the new flock members for at least 2 weeks. This is because birds are great at hiding illness, and it can take a little while for you to notice if something is wrong with one. Along with this, birds from different flocks are exposed to different viruses and bacteria and will have different immunities. Quarantining the new chickens for at least two weeks ensures that you can gain a general understanding of the health of your new flock members.
If you do find that one of your newest members is ill, I highly recommend separating them from the rest of the new birds to care for them individually. Depending on the illness, they may be able to recover and fully integrate with their new flock. Similarly, we suggest isolating chickens with injuries. For example, a bigger chicken stepped on one of our smallest silkies after we brought them home. Because she was acting strange, the other chickens bullied her. Letting her recover away from the others led to her being one of the feistiest chickens in the flock. For good measure, isolate your sick/injured bird for another week after they stop displaying symptoms.
Integrating your new flock members
Once the chicken quarantine is over, you can slowly introduce the new birds to your old birds. But like with people, you can’t just drop the new chickens into the coop and expect everyone to be best friends immediately. Like quarantining, integration will take at least two weeks. You can integrate new flock members in a couple different ways.
One way is to put your new birds in a cage near where your current flock spends much of their time. The new flock members should be able to see the old ones. But the two groups shouldn’t be able to touch each other. This way, everyone meets each other without you worrying about fights. This method is great because it allows your new birds a stress-free introduction. It also can help you if you don’t have time to constantly monitor introductions
Supervised visits are another way to integrate flock members. Take 15 to 20 minutes a few times a day to let your new flock members hang out with your current flock. This can be a tougher option at first if you’re not adept at chicken wrangling. But this method gives you the opportunity to bond with all members of your flock. In doing so, you’ll also gain opportunities to practice your chicken-wrangling skills.
Some things to note about introducing new flock members
Fights will happen once you fully integrate the new flock members. Or, rather, it’s going to look like fights occur. Mostly, this will be in the form of older or bigger hens or roosters pecking at and chasing others away. Definitely break up big fights where chickens are becoming injured, but it might be in your best interest to let little scuffles play out. They’re simply a part of the process as the flock members establish the pecking order. Chickens are surprisingly tough creatures. Unless they are bleeding or something looks broken, they’re probably okay.
Every chicken will have a different personality. Some are talkative and social. Others like to be left alone. Some birds will be extra cuddly, while others will want nothing to do with you. Getting the chickens used to being handled will help you in the long run. Chickens that are comfortable being handled are much easier to check and care for. However, don’t force the affection. Let the chickens come to you or you might make them more afraid of being handled down the road.
Keep track of what food you feed your chickens. Many people mistakenly feed their flock nothing but scratch grains. Scratch grains work wonderfully as treats. If eaten in excess, they can cause health complications in your flock members.
Final thoughts
Bringing new flock members into your home can be such a rewarding experience. It is one of the tangible signs that you are making progress on your homestead. One of our favorite times of the year is introducing new creatures to our homestead. We hope some of our tips can help you successfully grow your own flock, and we hope to hear some of your new flock member stories in the comments.
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