[adi]

i currently have 3 warrens and am thinking of adding another 3 to the flock. does anyone have any advice on how to introduce new hens with the minimum of fuss? during the day they have the run of the garden, but its at night when they have to share the coop is when i'm worried there will be problems.

[AL Hathaway]

There will almost always be a problem when you introduce new birds into an established flock, There's no perfect way to introduce new birds without some amount of fighting,

Partition an existing enclosure If you don't have an open pen to combine the birds, divide the existing pen and place the older birds in one side and the new birds on the other side. Use wire for the divider so the two groups can see each other and interact.  Make sure that each partition has their own food and water available.  Leave them like this for at least a week, or until the birds quit trying to fight with each other through the wire, then remove the partition.

Use a temporary cage within the main enclosure
If you only have one or two birds to introduce to an established flock, put them in a cage large enough for them to be comfortable with food and water. Place the cage in the pen or other enclosure so that the existing flock can see them and interact with them but not hurt them until they get used to the newcomers.

Keep age and physical size as close as possible
If the new birds to be introduced are younger than the existing flock and there is really no rush, wait to introduce them until the younger birds are close to maturity and about the same physical size as older birds.

Keep them busy or distract them While introducing new birds feed the entire flock treats such as fruit, fresh greens, hen scratch, or the like to keep them busy and take their mind off the new additions.

Do it in the Dark Get the enclosure as dark as possible before introducing the new birds.  The best way we've found waiting until they all go to roost for the night. place the new birds amongst the existing birds on the roosts.  If they all wake up together in the morning, it's much less obvious that their numbers have increased and they have new company.

[joyfull]

Always keep new chickens in quarantine for two to three weeks just in case they are incubating an illness (and some illnesses can take this long to show) and then move them together gradually. As your existing warrens are free ranging you may need to put some temporary netting around the new coop (an exclusion zone) with the new girls whilst this quarantine period is going on otherwise there is no use in having a quarantine period.
When you do get over the quarantine period then you can make the exclusion zone smaller so the birds are getting closer to each other and eventually allow the new birds into this exclusion zone so they just have the net separating them. Gradually move the feeders so that they are next to each other but still separated by the fence and then eventually remove the fence.
You will still get squabbles as the new order is established so be ready to mop up any blood but otherwise just let them sort it out. It will eventually stop and they will end up as one big happy family - you will always have one at the bottom but sadly this is life and I have also found that mine sometimes do not get accepted until they have laid their first egg.
make sure you have several feeders, drinkers and hiding places for them all (this way if the old hens are guarding the feeders there is always another one for the new hens to get to).

As you are not getting cockerels I shall not go into introducing them (but it can be nasty if not handled correctly).

ps. hello AL Hathaway, pleased to meet you - why not nip over to the welcome section and introduce yourself to everybody - eg how many chickens you have, experience etc 

[New shoot]

Joy I would be grateful if you could go into introducing cockerals.  I am getting a new coop this week as I have had to separate my Serama boys.  I'll have to build and paint it but can you advise re introducing Alphie to his new girls when I get them.

He is in a rabbit hutch with a run underneath on his own at the mo.  Do I put the girls in the new coop in sight of him for a few weeks & then mix    Both Alphie and the new girls will be in sight of the main run during this time, but obviously only 1 camp or other will be free ranging at any point.

Don't want a repeat of the big fight I had with the boys as Alphie is healing nicely and getting a strut back in his step. I got the 2 boys into the big run successfully last year but they went in as a team. 

Thanks