[snow white]

I shortly will be moving my two girls to their new coop.  I want to introduce a new girl at the same time.  As it will be a new home do I need to still do the two week introduction thing, or can I just put them together late one evening, let them wake up and sort it out.  Its on my allotment so a totally different environment as well with more freedom than now.

[Sassy]

The point of the 2 week introduction is to also quarantine the new hen against anything it may be carrying and introducing to your two. Therefore, they should not be close to start with. It is better to put a new hen in at night. Also have more feeding and watering stations than usual as that is most likely what they will fight over. If you can get 2 new ones they have each other during the quarantine and settling in period.

[snow white]

Ah good, an excuse to get two new hens then. Shhh don't tell hubby!

[Elvira]

I haven't room to quarantine new hens unfortunately so in the past have taken the risk that they are healthy and just popped them into the coop at night when the others are asleep.  I haven't had any trouble with this - although it must be odd for the old hens waking up with a couple of new bodies in the bed the next morning!! 

I haven't found any problems with them sharing one drinker and feeder on the numbers that you are talking about.

Like Sassy I would also recommend introducing 2 new hens rather than one so they can stick together.  I currently have 3 hens but one is increasingly being left out by the other 2 so am thinking of getting 3 new hens to even up the numbers! (good excuse! )

[ANHBUC]

I haven't room to quarantine new hens unfortunately so in the past have taken the risk that they are healthy and just popped them into the coop at night when the others are asleep.  I haven't had any trouble with this - although it must be odd for the old hens waking up with a couple of new bodies in the bed the next morning!! 

I haven't found any problems with them sharing one drinker and feeder on the numbers that you are talking about.

Like Sassy I would also recommend introducing 2 new hens rather than one so they can stick together.  I currently have 3 hens but one is increasingly being left out by the other 2 so am thinking of getting 3 new hens to even up the numbers! (good excuse! )

I would always recommend at least 2 drinkers just in case one gets knocked over or leaks.   

[Elvira]

I would always recommend at least 2 drinkers just in case one gets knocked over or leaks.   

Good point ANHBUC!  I have found though that hanging my drinker from the roof of the run (on coathanger wire) stops it being knocked over and it's one of those that can't leak (the water finds its own level) so I haven't had either of those problems? I do check the run a number of times a day though just to make sure everything is ok - also if I get more girls I will install another drinker but the one I have has been fine for 4 chickens.  They are bantams and are quite dainty! 

The girls gather round it in the morning and look like they are wine tasting! Must be the cider vinegar! 

[ANHBUC]

   My big girls are more like rowdy football fans.  Even my quail manage to knock their drinkers over when they are being chased by my one male quail.   

[Sassy]

I would always recommend at least 2 drinkers just in case one gets knocked over or leaks.   

Good point ANHBUC!  I have found though that hanging my drinker from the roof of the run (on coathanger wire) stops it being knocked over and it's one of those that can't leak (the water finds its own level) so I haven't had either of those problems? I do check the run a number of times a day though just to make sure everything is ok - also if I get more girls I will install another drinker but the one I have has been fine for 4 chickens.  They are bantams and are quite dainty! 

The girls gather round it in the morning and look like they are wine tasting! Must be the cider vinegar! 

I stopped using a hanging drinker because it would empty in the wind. The best I found were the small equine, or similar, supplement buckets. They did not get knocked over, even with a resident cockerel, and were easy to change daily and get the ice out of in the winter! Also they do not cost anything! and are good recycling.