Sky Posted July 2, 2010 Share Posted July 2, 2010 My 4 original girls which I have had for approx 18 months are now living in their new home. I would like to increase my number to 6, 7 or 8. I can divide what I have now so that the new ones can live separately but within sight of the others for how ever long it takes to intigrate them happily. The question is bearing in mind I already have 4, what would be the best number to mix with them with the least amount of trouble. Shiould it be 2, with a view to getting another 2 in perhaps a years time or should it be 3 or even it up completely and get another 4 (which i think may be too many) ? Jenny x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purple hen Posted July 2, 2010 Share Posted July 2, 2010 Your WIR looks fabulous, I think you are very restrained to be only thinking of up to 4 more, you certainly have room for them. I would be inclined to go for 4 at once and only have to have one introductory period,rather than 2 then another 2 later and have to go through it all twice. I introduced a new 3 to my original 3 and I thought the fact that they were evenly balanced groups helped them to integrate with a minimum of fuss. Good luck whatever you decide, new chickens are always exciting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmommasally Posted July 2, 2010 Share Posted July 2, 2010 Wow - fabulous WIR Sky Not sure how big your run and coop are but it certainly looks big enough for 10 or 12. I'd go for 2 new this year with a view to increasing the flock by 2 each year so you'll always have some layers when your original ones stop laying. Where in Rettendon are you? I'm in South Woodham now but was born and grew up in Rettendon/Battlesbridge area! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sky Posted July 2, 2010 Author Share Posted July 2, 2010 Wow - fabulous WIR Sky Not sure how big your run and coop are but it certainly looks big enough for 10 or 12. I'd go for 2 new this year with a view to increasing the flock by 2 each year so you'll always have some layers when your original ones stop laying. Where in Rettendon are you? I'm in South Woodham now but was born and grew up in Rettendon/Battlesbridge area! I am in Chalk Street, we have been there for about 25 years and have spent most of the time working on the house/garden!! I come from Burnham on Crouch, hubby comes from Wickford. My brother lives in South Woodham. The 2 extra each year with a view to keeping the egg production going was my original plan as already we are not getting as many eggs as we did last year and that was the idea behind getting chickens. One of the things which is stopping me increasing the flock at the moment is that I am still trying to stop an outbreak of feather pecking amongst the 4 I have. Constant spraying seems to have halted it and now they are in bigger surroundings with more to keep them occupied I am hoping that it doesn't start again but I want to wait until I have 4 fully feathered chooks first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted July 2, 2010 Share Posted July 2, 2010 Thats a very lovely run Are your exiting chooks hybrids? are you planning to add hybrids? - if so I woulc go for two and increase again next year as already recommended If you are adding pure breeds which lay for more years then I'd probably add three or four The newbies will need to be quarantined for a week totally separately then can go within sight of the others as per your plan, it could take up to a month to integrate them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sky Posted July 2, 2010 Author Share Posted July 2, 2010 Thats a very lovely run Are your exiting chooks hybrids? are you planning to add hybrids? - if so I woulc go for two and increase again next year as already recommended If you are adding pure breeds which lay for more years then I'd probably add three or four The newbies will need to be quarantined for a week totally separately then can go within sight of the others as per your plan, it could take up to a month to integrate them Ahhh well there's another question At the moment I have a Bluebelle, a Nera, a Babcock and a Light Sussex I think I am right in saying that the only pure breed there is the Light Sussex? Out of all of them the Light Sussex is far more difficult to handle! I am totally open to suggestions and would like advice on what I should pick so that I have a placid, easy to handle hen with a good egg production? I don't mind whether I go for Hybrid or Pure Breed but I am only an amateur and wouldn't want to saddle myself with new hens who I can't get anywhere near and who don't get on with the ones I have already got. I didn't realise that new chooks have to be totally quarantined for a week before even letting them within sight of the original ones. Is this the case even when they have all been vaccinated? Sorry, so many questions but I am quite happy to take my time over this with a view to getting it right Jenny x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted July 2, 2010 Share Posted July 2, 2010 Well I am a fan of pure breeds and not of hybrids so I wouldnt be the best person to give you a balanced view! There are a few members that have both and can probably comment on how they mix better than I can You dont HAVE to quarantine new hens but it makes an awful lot of sense to. Vaccination does not protect against everything and sniffles are often bought out by the stress of moving. They could also have mites and lice so its best to keep them apart to let any treatment you apply work. If I have recently wormed my own hens I use the isolation period as a chance to worm the newbies too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
migsy Posted July 2, 2010 Share Posted July 2, 2010 Redwing - Why are you not a fan of hybrids? Just wondering. As to easily handled birds I have to say that my Amber Star is lovely and my son cuddles her. I guess some of it is down to personality. Amber Stars are good layers too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted July 2, 2010 Share Posted July 2, 2010 Redwing - Why are you not a fan of hybrids? Just wondering. As to easily handled birds I have to say that my Amber Star is lovely and my son cuddles her. I guess some of it is down to personality. Amber Stars are good layers too. I think they are lovely and great characters but I dont like the way they have been 'designed' to lay like the clappers and then burn out, they dont live as long as pure breeds and they can be more prone to egg laying problems - I just think they have been tinkered with too much In saying that plenty of the pure breeds have been mucked about with to some extent to produce exhibition birds at the expense of utility - I guess thats partly where the demand for hybrids came from Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
