Last month, we welcomed two new hens: Rose and Blanche, 12-year-old Ameraucanas from a sister sanctuary. Integrating new chickens into an established flock can be stressful for all involved, so we always proceed with caution.
Quarantine
We first met Rose and Blanche at their old home, where we performed a thorough health check, collected fecal samples, and prophylactically dewormed them. We also deloused them after noticing a few lice. Since we knew their guardians well, we asked if the hens could stay for a two-week quarantine at their home; otherwise, we would have quarantined them in our garage. Their coop was dusted with diatomaceous earth to eliminate any remaining lice. A few days later, we received the fecal test results, which indicated no worms but detected some Coccidia oocysts. Their guardians promptly treated them for this.
Visual Introduction
After two weeks, Rose and Blanche came to our home. We performed another health check, gave them a bath, and settled them in our guest coop. This allowed them to decompress, become familiar with their new surroundings, and meet their new sisters through the safety of a fence. Rose and Truffle, the leaders of both flocks, demonstrated how crucial this initial introduction phase was. They kept posturing and fighting through the fence for over a week, leading us to keep the flocks separated for two weeks due to their relentlessness.
Physical Introduction
On a day when our schedule was clear, we released Rose and Blanche into the yard with the rest of the flock under close supervision. It's fascinating to watch chickens establish the pecking order—a complex social dance, perfectly orchestrated. As expected, Rose and Truffle immediately engaged, but Rose quickly surrendered, leaving Truffle as the leader. Rose then fought with Sugar, the second in command, which took less than two minutes.
As a caregiver, it's difficult to witness without intervening, but unless blood is drawn, it's best to let them sort it out. Sidonie then asserted her position over Rose. The three musketeers offered no resistance, and Rose found her place in the middle of the flock hierarchy. Meanwhile, Blanche kept her distance, running away from anyone who approached her. She ended up at the bottom of the pecking order, much to the delight of the three musketeers, who now had someone to peck.
Settling In
The first days after the introduction were somewhat chaotic. Through lots of posturing and minimal pecking, everyone affirmed their position in the flock hierarchy. We added an extra feeder to minimize resource guarding and ensure everyone had access to food. Bedtime at our house involves the chickens going into the coop on-demand for treats, which could have been stressful for newcomers unfamiliar with the routine. However, Rose and Blanche surprised us by roosting in the henhouse early on their own, avoiding any problems.
The fact that Rose and Blanche weren't next to each other in the pecking order but stayed physically close created interesting situations, such as when a musketeer would peck at Blanche, causing her to run away, only for the musketeer to then flee upon seeing Rose.
A month later, the situation is much calmer. Rose has fully integrated into the flock, while Blanche remains on the periphery. She is very skittish and will take longer to feel completely part of her new family. Blanche is also quite shy with us and doesn't fully trust us yet. This is okay—every chicken is an individual, and she can take the time she needs to adjust.
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