[Part time dabbler]

I took three rescue chickens from The Hen Trust at the weekend. The poor birds are in quite a state, I have termed them Frankinchickens,

I am keeping them in a fenced off part of the chicken run but putting them into the one coop at night. I would like to know whether keeping them apart (but within sight of each other) is the best way eventually get them to become part of the existing flock (if that term can be used for only four chickens) without them being pecked to death.

I have put them all in the same coop at night but have decided to buy a second coop while these new ones recover their strength (and feathers).

[bj_cardiff]

I'd put them in together at night and then let them out together during the day. The rescue chickens will be used to dealing with bullying from others. Obviously keep an eye on them but any minor squabbles are only to be expected

[in the hills]

Yes, I'd have them in a separate coop and keep to your plan of a shared run that is split in two by wire.


Or, you could split the existing coop in half, if big enough, using wire.


Often only takes a few weeks for them to get used to each other but we find it a kinder way than putting them together from the start. Less stressful for all concerned.

[Marches Farmer]

The new hens will benefit from a quiet life while they adjust to their new circumstances.  Hens that have been intensively kept can be quite fierce, though, so it may be them that bully.  It helps if you can amalgamate them into a run that's new territory for both and late at night, with plenty of distractions like branches, CDs and so on.

[doganjo]

I would keep them totally separate to prevent spread of any diseases from either direction.

[Part time dabbler]

Thank you all for your advice.

After several days of keeping them separate during the day but putting them in the coop together and then trying to get the new chicks into their section of the run without them being massacred by the existing girls I have bought another coop. I will allow them to gain weight and their feathers back before trying to mix them again.
 

[bj_cardiff]

Oh dear - poor things, after seeing them I agree, keep them separate until they've settled in and grown feather. I've rehomed many comercial hens but never any in quite that state. I'm sure they'll be fully feathered and fit within no time.

[in the hills]

Poor girls.


You should really keep completely separate, as Doganjo says, but you've already mixed them so no point worrying now.


They'll soon change. Plenty of good food and fresh air and learn how to be real chickens.


Bless them.

[Part time dabbler]

I saw this post of mine from September and thought I would give an update.

After buying a second coop and allowing the rescue chickens a couple of weeks feeding and getting their strength back we mixed the two. Yes there was a period of sorting out the pecking order but nothing too bad. The originals stayed in their coop and the rescues stayed in their coop but the all laid eggs in the originals coop.

Now I cannot tell the difference between originals and rescues, the transformation is amazing and they have become one flock. Recently I closed off the rescues coop and they have all hunkered down together.

Trouble is I have now lost one of the originals to a fox and have been given 7 new (slightly bigger) chickens. I have extended the chicken run and am back to having the two flocks separated. I will give them a couple of weeks and then let them at each other for an hour at a time (under supervision) before removing the separation between runs.

The only trouble - what do I do with 11 to 13 eggs a day