This Resource Is Meant to Be Read In Conjunction With Another Resource
Before reading our chicken-specific guidance, please read our detailed resource about preparing for resident introductions here. The following information is meant to supplement and build upon the important points covered within that resource.

Chickens are social animals who naturally live in flocks with other chickens. Even though they will typically do best living alongside other chickens, you still need to plan and conduct chicken introductions thoughtfully to ensure the safety and well-being of your residents! Below, we’ll talk about important things to keep in mind when preparing for and conducting chicken introductions.

Planning For Chicken Introductions

Consider Letting Chicks Grow Up A Bit

If you are considering introducing a chick to a flock of mature chickens, it’s important to think carefully about when it is best to do so. The age at which you can responsibly introduce a chick to the rest of your flock will depend on many factors, including the personalities of all involved, their nutritional needs, the makeup of the flock, and your physical setup. In most cases, you should wait until chicks are at least 6 weeks old, though some caregivers prefer to wait until they are quite a bit older before introducing them to mature chickens.

Of particular note, be sure to think about whether or not you will be able to continue to meet the chick’s nutritional and environmental needs if they move in with your flock. Also, remember that chicks are more vulnerable to predation and may be able to get out of enclosures that keep your mature residents contained. Depending on your setup, you may need to make modifications to make the space safe for chicks. 

Consider Their Breed Type

When planning for a chicken introduction, keep in mind that large breed chickens have different care needs than non-large breedA domesticated animal breed that has not been specifically engineered to grow as quickly as possible for the purpose of human consumption. In resources at The Open Sanctuary Project, "Heritage" breeds of turkeys, for instance, are "non-large breed", even if they are physically quite big. chickens, especially when it comes to diet, and more specifically, portion size. In general, it’s going to be easier to house individuals who need their portions managed separately from those who should have free-choice access. If you choose to house them together, you’ll need to create a setup that allows both large breedDomesticated animal breeds that have been selectively bred by humans to grow as large as possible, as quickly as possible, to the detriment of their health. and non-large breed residents to have appropriate access to food, which may require creating a space to put food where non-large breed chickens can access it, but large breed chickens cannot. Large breed chickens also have unique needs when it comes to flock arrangements, as described below.

Can Chickens Of Different Breeds Live Together?
While the care needs of large breed and non-large breed chickens differ from one another, there are far fewer differences between breeds within the same breed type (i.e., non-large breed chickens of different breeds have very similar care needs). You always want to consider the specific needs of each unique individual, but generally speaking, chickens of different breeds within the same breed type (large breed or non-large breed) often live together in sanctuary spaces. That said, you may find that certain breeds require special attention. For example, some sanctuaries have had issues with hens with unusual feathering, such as silkies or Polish chickens, being bullied by other hens. If you find this to be the case, you may need to house them with your most docile chicken residents. Chickens with crests (a poof of feathers on their head) may also need some of those feathers trimmed in order to see properly. This is particularly important before an introduction – you don’t want a chicken resident’s vision impaired when they are meeting someone new! Additionally, keep in mind that the hair-like feathers of silkies do not create a waterproof barrier like other chickens’ feathers, and, therefore, they may require more protection from the elements than your other chicken residents, especially in cold temperatures.

Consider Their Sex And The Makeup Of Your Flock(s)

In addition to considering their breed, you should also consider the sex of the individuals involved. Generally speaking, non-large breed chickens can live in mixed-sex flocks, though it will be important to consider individual personalities, each resident’s health, and the size of the rooster compared to the hens. A significantly larger rooster could seriously injure a smaller hen if he attempts to mount her, so be sure to keep this in mind when considering which individuals should be introduced to each other. In addition to considering each individual, also consider the rooster-to-hen ratio of the group. While there is no magic ratio that will ensure healthy flock dynamics, in general, the lower the rooster-to-hen ratio, the better (though some roosters can do well living with a single hen). As with all resident groupings, it’s important to closely observe flock dynamics and ensure hens are not being overmounted. If overmounting becomes an issue, you’ll need to make adjustments to prevent the issue going forward.

Check Your Rooster Resident’s Nails And Spurs
Whenever a rooster is involved in the introduction, whether they are the newbie or are meeting a new hen or another rooster, it’s a good idea to check their nails and spurs and trim as needed to prevent injuries from occurring during minor scuffles or enthusiastic mounting. Some sanctuaries also cover their rooster residents’ spurs with dog nail covers to help protect hens from injuries.

When it comes to large breed chickens, creating safe flock arrangements requires additional considerations. Due to their unnaturally large size, large breed roosters can seriously injure hens (large breed or non-large breed) if they attempt to mount them and, therefore, should not live with females. To avoid adding additional strain to their feet and joints or damage to their delicate skin when being mounted, we recommend housing large breed hens away from males entirely or to only allow them to live with a small, lightweight bantam rooster.

You can read more about safe cohabitation for chickens here.

Rooster Flocks
There are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to roosters, in general, and one that comes up often is the myth that roosters cannot live with other roosters safely. This is simply not true. However, while they can live together safely, introductions between roosters do tend to be more complicated than introductions between hens, so careful planning and patience are crucial. Because males may fight with one another to establish dominance when they first meet, be sure to think carefully about each individual’s size, strength, and general health before conducting an introduction. For some individuals, it may be best to avoid the potential stress and physicality of introducing them to another rooster.

You should also consider their background. For example, game roosters (roosters who have been bred specifically for use in cockfighting) warrant some special consideration. Many sanctuaries choose not to integrate survivors of cockfighting into flocks with other roosters due to their past human-induced training and trauma, which can cause them to be triggered by other roosters. However, these individuals still benefit from the company of other chickens, and often do best paired with a single hen (especially a game hen) or integrated into a flock of hens with no other roosters. Some sanctuaries generally avoid integrating all game roosters (whether they are survivors or not) with other roosters as well, as game roos can, especially in the spring, be particularly hormonal. With all this said, please keep in mind that every bird is an individual, and there have been exceptions to all of these general rules. As we often say, close observation and supervision are key tools to assessing the comfort of an individual in any given living situation.

In addition to avoiding springtime introductions (which we’ll talk more about below), conducting rooster introductions away from females entirely can increase your chances of success and help things go more smoothly. By housing roosters in spaces that prevent them from seeing or hearing female chicken residents, they may be more likely to get along. You can read more about maintaining healthy rooster-only flocks here.

While all residents must have ample space and should be provided with dynamic living spaces that encourage natural behaviors, when it comes to conducting successful rooster introductions, this is imperative. In general, the more space, the better. This will allow them to steer clear of each other if they so choose. If there is an altercation, having plenty of space will hopefully allow them to get away from one another more easily. It can also be helpful to find ways to add visual barriers (such as with vegetation) while avoiding creating areas where a resident could get cornered by another rooster. Visual barriers can help reduce tensions and prevent minor squabbles from escalating. We’ll talk more about introducing roosters to each other throughout this resource.

Consider The Season

Hormones play a major role in tensions between roosters, and these hormones are highest during the spring. If you are considering an introduction that involves two roosters, in all likelihood, things will go more smoothly if you can avoid a spring or early summer introduction. Similarly, if you are introducing a rooster to a group of hens and find he is too enthusiastic about mounting them, waiting for his hormone levels to come down a bit could help.

Time Of Day Matters, Too
In addition to seasonal fluctuations, hormones also fluctuate throughout the day. Some caregivers have noted that hormonal behaviors tend to be at a peak during morning and evening hours. Therefore, opting for afternoon introductions may be best.

Be Mindful Of The Weather And Environmental Conditions

In Preparing For And Conducting Resident Introductions, we stress the importance of considering the weather when planning introductions, but it bears repeating. While it’s important to consider all weather conditions, it’s crucial to understand that large breed chickens are at an increased risk of overheating, and, therefore, you should avoid conducting introductions when the weather is hot (or warm and humid). When conducting introductions, be sure to watch individuals closely for signs of overheating (such as open-mouth breathing and/or holding their wings away from their body), and pause the introduction if anyone is getting too warm. If you must conduct an introduction during the time of year when temperatures are high, be sure to do so early in the day when the weather is cooler.

Check Your First Aid Supplies
As mentioned in Preparing For And Conducting Resident Introductions, it’s important to make sure your first aid kit is stocked with all the supplies you may need if an introduction does not go smoothly. When it comes to chickens, some of the more common scenarios that may arise that require first aid include broken pin feathers, broken toenails, and broken spurs. Be sure to have a blood stop product as well as bandage materials, tweezers, and nail trimmers on hand so you are prepared to provide first aid if needed. Speaking of pin feathers, if someone is going through a serious molt, you may want to wait a little bit before conducting the introduction. Broken pin feathers will bleed which may result in continued pecking at that area.

Conducting Chicken Introductions

Once you’ve done all your prep work and are ready to conduct the introduction, you might opt to start by housing chickens who are going to be introduced to each other in separate but adjacent spaces before fully integrating them (as described in Preparing For And Conducting Resident Introductions). If your physical infrastructure does not allow for this, consider setting up a temporary “integration kennel” in or adjacent to the resident flock’s living spaceThe indoor or outdoor area where an animal resident lives, eats, and rests.. You can use an exercise pen, large kennel, or something similar to create a safe, enclosed space for the new individual where they can see and communicate with the other chicken(s) without coming into physical contact with one another. Be sure to avoid anything with gaps large enough for individuals to make physical contact with each other and avoid anything with sharp edges that could result in injury. If necessary, cover the top to ensure no one can fly in or out. 

​​If you find that the separate but adjacent method leads to overexcitement or elevated stress that does not dissipate, you could try slowing the introduction down further by using an integration kennel along with partial visual barriers. This could look like using a mostly closed airline-style plastic kennel (versus a wire kennel) or using flexible screen door mesh to fully cover a wire kennel so that visual contact between birds is reduced (but not eliminated entirely). In this way, individuals can become more slowly accustomed to being in each other’s presence without constantly being in each other’s eyesight. Alternatively, or additionally, you can try moving the kennel further from the resident space into which you’d like to introduce the new bird (or birds) so they can become accustomed to each other more slowly.

The new resident can spend time in this transition space during the day and then move back to their own space in the evening (remember all chickens need to be in a safe, predator-proof space overnight). Make sure the integration space has everything they need to be comfortable – food, water, enough space, proper traction, a nesting area, if applicable, and shade. We already stressed above the importance of paying attention to the weather, but when using an integration kennel outdoors, be sure to really consider how a resident will be impacted by weather conditions when inside the space, and avoid situations where they will be stuck out in uncomfortable conditions.

If opting for the separate but adjacent method, be sure to observe interactions closely to ensure this is a safe and appropriate setup. If individuals appear stressed, are overexerting themselves, or are at risk of injury from trying to fight through the shared barrier, you’ll need to pause the introduction and regroup. It is generally a good idea to consider dialing back the introduction if you’ve noticed repeated fighting between individuals that does not ease up over time. 

For individuals who have a particularly hard time with one another, one trick that has worked for some folks is to take the individuals and house them in crates near each other in a neutral space, such as inside your home, overnight. Sometimes sleeping near each other in these circumstances can help birds acclimate to one another more easily.

Additional Considerations For Introductions Between Roosters
In some situations, starting with the separate but adjacent method may give individuals time to get acquainted with one another before physically sharing the same space, making the eventual physical introduction go more smoothly. However, you may find that some individuals are consumed with fighting through the shared barrier. While it’s important to pay attention to how individuals interact through a physical barrier, it’s also essential to recognize that these interactions may not be reflective of how they will interact without the barrier.

As opposed to a physical introduction in a shared space, meeting and interacting through a barrier can prevent resolution when individuals are trying to figure out where they stand in the social hierarchy. Because of this, you may see different behaviors and/or a different intensity of behaviors when individuals are separated by a physical barrier. While prolonged fighting through the barrier may mean that you should slow down the introduction as described above, it could also mean that the separate but adjacent method isn’t beneficial in this particular instance. It does not automatically mean that the introduction is doomed. Each situation is different, so you’ll want to think carefully about what will be most appropriate for the individuals in your care, and then closely observe their reactions so you can make adjustments as needed. You can find more tips on conducting introductions between roosters here!

Once you’re ready to allow the chickens to be in a shared space with each other, it’s very important to closely monitor everyone’s reactions in case you need to intervene! There may be some minor altercations as everyone figures out their place in the pecking order, but as long as no one is overdoing it or at risk of being injured, it’s generally best to let them sort things out for themselves (while you closely observe the situation). However, if things get out of hand, you’ll need to break up conflicts quickly.

Some pecking and chasing is not unusual and may be noted from hens or roosters. Interactions may even entail some jumping and kicking, especially between roosters. When a rooster meets a hen for the first time, he may quickly mount her or spend time showing off for her. To learn more about rooster and hen interaction, click here. Established roosters may also intervene in introductions between hens and may chase away the new hen. While these behaviors are “normal”, prolonged or excessive pecking, chasing, mounting, and kicking can lead to injury and may require interventions, so be sure to watch introductions closely. 

In addition to watching for physical contact that could result in injury, be sure to watch closely that residents are not exhausting themselves or showing signs of overheating. In some cases, you may need to separate individuals and try again later (or consider a different option entirely). Also, be sure to observe your residents’ body language and general interactions. Even if there is no physical altercation, if one or more individuals appear to be very intimidated by someone else in the group, this may not be a healthy living arrangement for them. While individuals may settle in over time, if residents are constantly stressed and/or unable to engage freely in normal activities (for example, if they are constantly hiding or bullied away from food), they should be provided a different living arrangement.

The New Gang In Town
While every situation is different, if you are introducing multiple new chickens at once, this can sometimes make the process a bit easier.

Even if things appear to be going well, be sure to provide lots of supervision throughout the day (and in the coming days) to ensure everyone is getting along. This is particularly important after introducing roosters to one another. Some situations that arise during the day may result in more tension than others, so ongoing supervision is key! Just because everyone is getting along well in their outdoor living space soon after the new resident arrives, does not mean that there will not be an altercation later on (possibly in the morning, when hormones are high, at mealtime, or if the new resident tries to enter the indoor space).

A Note On Nighttime Introductions
While some folks recommend introducing new residents at night when everyone is asleep, we feel strongly that all introductions should be supervised and, therefore, advise against this practice. Though it may work for some, there is also the possibility that the new resident will not be welcomed and will have no means to escape from the other chickens. Even if you plan to check on them early in the morning, we just don’t think it is worth the risk of having residents in a situation where they are trapped with potentially territorial or confrontationalBehaviors such as chasing, cornering, biting, kicking, problematic mounting, or otherwise engaging in consistent behavior that may cause mental or physical discomfort or injury to another individual, or using these behaviors to block an individual's access to resources such as food, water, shade, shelter, or other residents. residents without a caregiverSomeone who provides daily care, specifically for animal residents at an animal sanctuary, shelter, or rescue. there to intervene. In fact, some caregivers install cameras in overnight spaces to monitor for these kinds of behaviors overnight. This may be particularly helpful when you have just introduced new residents into a flock.

Things To Keep In Mind After Conducting Chicken Introductions

Once you’re confident that everyone is settled in and is safe to stay together without constant supervision, there are still important things to keep in mind as everyone adjusts to their new living arrangements. 

Make Sure Everyone Can Eat Comfortably

Following an introduction, be sure to watch extra closely at meals to ensure everyone is coming up to eat and can do so comfortably. It may also be useful to monitor your residents’ cropA crop is a pouched enlargement of the esophagus of many birds that serves as a receptacle for food and for its preliminary maceration. contents throughout the day, and particularly after meals. A chicken who consistently has an empty crop may not be getting enough food. Monitoring weights more closely following an introduction is another way to make sure everyone is getting access to what they need.

While it’s important to ensure all chicken residents can eat comfortably following an introduction, be especially mindful of mealtime dynamics with large breed chickens. While non-large breed chickens will likely have access to food for the majority of their waking hours and can therefore wait until others have eaten if they do not feel comfortable eating at the same time, this is not the case with large breed chickens. Because they are not free-fed and only have limited access to food, you really need to make sure they can get their fair share. This may require adding additional areas for them to eat so they can keep their distance from others or physically separating them from the rest of the flock so they can access their food portion without the stress of having others around. 

Overnight Accommodations

Sometimes newly introduced chicken residents will get along just fine during the day when they have more room to spread out and avoid each other, but will show signs of discord when closed in overnight. Pay close attention to how everyone behaves after being closed in for the night – if the new resident appears anxious or other residents start pecking at them, offer the new chicken(s) a separate sleeping space (preferably within or adjoining the flock’s living space, if possible) – just make sure they have a safe place to sleep and that other residents cannot jump or fly into this space.

It’s Not Just Overnight
If there are other times when residents must be closed inside, for example, during dangerously cold weather or in preparation for health checks, be sure to consider if any separations are needed to ensure everyone’s safety and well-being.

Watch For Signs Of Overmounting

Mounting is a normal rooster behavior, but hens can be injured if they are mounted excessively (or if they are mounted by roosters who are too big). Feather damage on the top of the head and/or back of the neck is a telltale sign that someone is being overmounted. This can become so severe that the area ends up bald and scabbed. Mounting can also cause damage to the skin under the wings (where the rooster’s spurs rub against the hen’s body), but these wounds are difficult to detect without a hands-on evaluation.

If you see feather damage on the head or neck or notice that a hen is being mounted often, make sure to check the area underneath her wings for injuries and treat them or consult with a veterinarian as needed. If you find mounting wounds, be sure to consider the underlying cause. Sometimes, a mounting wound is a sign that the rooster the hen is living with needs to have his spurs trimmed or covered. Other times, it could be a sign that the rooster is too big or too rough for the hen or that you need to increase the hen-to-rooster ratio.

Be Prepared To Provide More Supervision During Their First Spring Together
While avoiding springtime introductions can help introductions go more smoothly, you still may find that spring, and particularly the first spring, brings about challenges. Even if things have been going smoothly, be sure to watch closely in the spring for changes in flock dynamics so you can step in if necessary.

While following the guidance above (and the guidance contained in Preparing For And Conducting Resident Introductions) can help set you up for success, it’s important to remember that every individual and situation is unique. Some introductions may take more time than others, and some residents may simply never get along, so it’s always a good idea to have a plan B in mind!