[Jonny]

Hi,
I have a flock of around 40 laying hens who provide the eggs which i sell door to door around small housing estates and cul de sacs. The sales have been going really well and i am considering adding about 30 - 40 new hens. I need help on ways to introduce them to try and stop bickering/bullying.
Any help appreciated!

[doganjo]

Firstly, if you have more than 50 you need to register with Defra.  In smaller numbers I introduce new stock last thing at night, and with bird brains they think the enwcomers have always been there. So very little hen pecking.  Not sure what you'd do with that many - perhaps have them in an adjacent run and coop so they can see each other but not get at them. Then maybe introduce them at feeding time when they are all pecking around anyway.

[jaykay]

Quarantine them first for several weeks - check that they are healthy. Then I'd do as suggested, keep them apart with just chicken wire, so they can get to know each other like that. Inevitably there will be some argy-bargy when you put them together to establish the pecking order, but then it should settle down.