SOCIALIZING YOUR NEW CHICKENS

Once you have become an established chicken owner it is only natural that you will want to keep adding to your flock.

There are so many wonderful chicken breeds out there to choose from. Each one having its own unique qualities to add to your flock.

Whether you are wanting to add the same breed of chicken or start a mixed flock it is very important to slowly socialize the birds.

All flocks have a strict pecking order and the newcomers have to learn to respect this to be able to fit in.

See our article on “Chicken Mixers” to determine which breeds mix best in order to avoid high drama and serious consequences in the coop.

BEFORE YOU GET MORE CHICKENS REMEMBER TO CHECK:

Some checks to do before investing in additional new chickens:

Before you add to your flock first check the necessary ordinances/rules/laws that govern owning poultry in your area. You may only be allowed to own a certain amount of chickens and roosters.

Is your current coop/run/free-range pen big enough to accommodate another chicken or so?

If not do you have the extra space to enlarge your coop, run and or free-range pen?

Are you ready to expand and have you got the necessary resources to do so?

WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO NEED TO HOUSE YOUR NEW CHICKENS

If you are introducing pullets or hens to an already established flock:

A quarantine coop/shelter and run for the new chickens. Ideally, a tractor type structure that you can position at different places in the garden.

Extra feed bowls, waterers and nesting boxes. These can be moved to the permanent coop once the newbie chickens move in.

If you are getting new hatchlings/chicks:

Large wooden or plywood box

Pine or corn cobb shavings to line the box floor (corn cobb shavings are the best and healthier for the little chicks)

Small waterers and feeders

Chick starter feed

Heating lamp or preferably an electrical radiant heat brooder. Heating lamps cause inconsistent heat which can lead to health problems for the little chicks like pasty butt. The electrical radiant heat brooder is an excellent investment. It will last and keeps the heat consistent for the baby chicks. It is also less likely to burn the place down than the heat lamps are.

SOCIALIZING YOUR NEW CHICKENS AND HOUSING THEM IN THEIR TEMPORARY HOME

Pullets and Hens:

Pullets and hens will need to be housed in the temporary coop.

The new chickens will need to be quarantined for a minimum of 7 days to around 31 days.

This is to watch the new chickens for various pests and disease that they could spread to your current flock.

When you buy new chickens, you should have them checked out by your nearest vet that takes care of livestock.

They will need to be vaccinated if they are not already. You can do this on your own by buying the needed vaccines from your veterinary clinic. A vet will be able to best advise you on the various vaccinations and the ones that are the most important for your chickens to have. If you are not comfortable with giving these injects it is best to get a vet to do them for you. Or someone who is well versed in animal husbandry even your local animal shelters will help you out for a small donation.

Once they have been deemed healthy and pest free you can move the temporary coop/run and position it next to or adjacent to the established one.

Leave the newcomers in their enclosed run during the day and let your established flock go about their daily business as usual.

It is a good idea to usher your established flock into their coop an hour or so earlier every day and let the newcomers out for about 30 – 60 minutes a day on their own. This is to get them used to the lay of the garden/free-range pen. It also allows them to start to establish themselves as part of the community.

After 7 to 8 day let the established flock out first and after a few minutes, you can let the newcomers out.

There is going to be some altercations and upsets, but it is normal as the newcomers have to learn the pecking order and know their place.

You have to keep an eye on them and if things start to get out of hand you will need to put the newcomers back into their coop.

Even if there are no altercations for the first few days of allowing them to socialize and mingle it is best the newcomers go back into their temporary home. You will find that until they feel welcome and part of the flock they will go back there by themselves.

You will know they have settled in and become fully integrated into the flock once they automatically follow them into the permanent coop on their own.

If you do not free-range your chickens, then you will have to let the newcomers into the coop run for about 15 – 30 minutes every day until there is no fighting and the newcomers are comfortable to follow the flock into the coop at bedtime.

Hatchlings/Chicks:

For the newborn chicks, they will need to be kept in their brooder for the first 6 – 8 weeks.

The brooder should be kept in a warm, safe, predator-free enclosed place such as a barn, shed or enclosed back porch.

They will need the same temporary chicken coop as per the instructions for Hens/Pullets.

As you will have had them vaccinated and checked regularly during their first 8 weeks of life you will not need to quarantine them.

At around 8 weeks the chicks will have lost all their downy fluff and have their adult feathers.

This is when they are ready to be moved to the temporary coop positioned next to the permanent one.

Follow the same socializing procedure as with Pullets and Hens from point 1.7 onwards.

Cockerels and Roosters:

You cannot just buy a cockerel or adult rooster and think because he is a male the females will accept him. Roosters like to be the dominant one in a flock so tend to try and get to the top of the pecking order. This will not be tolerated in an already established flock and will ruffle feathers. Hens may not seem to be as aggressive as roosters, but some can be quite mean and vicious especially when challenged.

It is much easier to socialize a cockerel with a flock than an adult rooster. But the same routine applies to socialize both. It may just take a bit longer with an adult rooster.

It is not advisable to have 2 roosters in a flock, but it is not impossible to do. The socializing just may take even longer, and you would need to do some research to see which roosters are better suited to mixing. It is also imperative to ensure each rooster has enough hens for him to roost over.

There should be around 1 – 6 hens per rooster in a flock.

As with the Pullets/Hens they will need to be in a separate temporary coop/run structure.

They will need to be quarantined for 7 – 31 days to ensure they are pest and disease free. Make sure all the vaccines are up to date and he has been dewormed.

Whilst they are quarantined the more interaction you have with your cockerel/rooster the better you two will bond. He will need to get used to you and visa versa. It is also a great time to observe his temperament.

They will need the same temporary chicken coop as per the instructions for Hens/Pullets.
Follow the procedure from steps 1.7 onwards of Hens and Pullets socializing tactics.

As the males are more aggressive you will have to watch the interaction closely. Some hens and roosters just will not get along. Especially the more aggressive breed of hens.

With more than one rooster it is best to try and socialize them slowly. Remember squabbles will occur and these you can leave to be sorted out. As long as they do not continue into a bloodbath or injuries.

As with humans some people just do not get along as their personalities clash. This is the same with chickens some breeds just clash and will have to be permanently separated.

Investing in various items like brood lamps, a secondary moveable coop/run, etc. is a good thing. They come in very handy when you are keeping backyard chickens.

If you are going to breed chickens or tend to eventually buy more chicks you will have a brooder.
With a temporary moveable coop/run you not only have a socializing/quarantine home but it can be used to housed sick or injured chickens.