Anyone ever introduced new hens to flock?

[TheCountessofFitzdotterel]

I have 2 new ones to go with my 3. They arrived yesterday evening and last night I had them in a cat carrier inside the Eglu run and today they have been in the Eglu run while the others free range outside it.
I am wondering how long I should keep them apart for. Does anyone have any experience?

I'd give it at least a week of them being able to see each other but separated. That way they can swear at each other through the mesh and get used to the environment

I’ve done this, I kept them separate for a week, although they still had a pecking order it was resolved after a few days.

I've never kept new ones separate, just added them to the actual house as it got dusk then let them all out together in the morning. They soon sort themselves out.

Oh dear, a week is longer than I had hoped!

Probably best to play safe though. My new ones are still quite small compared to the older ones and could be a bit vulnerable.

I thought about doing the overnight method but because the days are long it means it will be a while after they wake up till I get to them, during which time they will be in the Eglu run with nowhere to escape to.

I didn’t give mine time apart either- put the new ones in the coop for the day and then the other girls went in with them at night.

The pecking order was swiftly (and borderline brutally) established over the next few days. Had to keep an eye on them but no blood drawn 😱 and all settled then!

The update is that they have been mixing since lunchtime today and they have been fine.
I noticed on Saturday that the most aggressive one had changed the way she looked at the new ones- at first it was clearly ‘I will hunt you down and kill you’ but I noticed on Saturday she seemed to have eased off so I gave them another couple of days to make sure. There was a little bit of aggression around the same food container but the new ones just had to step back, they didn’t need to run far away. Hopefully they should be ok at bedtime…

Good news
(Your description made me laugh)

Morning! They’re still alive and no signs of injury.