Sourcing & Introducing Birds

Once you have your coop and run in good working order and have all the supplies you need to care for your birds, you are ready to start forming your flock.

In this section, we will cover the different places you can find birds for your flock in New Zealand, how to make sure you choose healthy birds, what works well for transporting them to their new home, and how to introduce them to other birds if they are joining an existing flock.

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Finding Birds

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Selecting Birds

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Transporting Birds

Adult hens are roughly the size of a large football and you will need a secure container that can fit them comfortably to transport them to their new home.  Your two best options are:

  • Dog crate or cat carrier – these should have a layer of cardboard or plastic in the bottom to prevent your chickens from getting their nails stuck when they’re trying to maintain their balance as the crate is moved.
  • Cardboard box – make sure you have appropriate ventilation holes for the box. These should be horizontal slits on all four sides of the box measuring about 2cm by 15cm.  Small circular holes will not be enough.

You can use newspaper, straw, or puppy training pads to line the bottom of the container to provide additional padding and absorbency – just make sure to change it out before using the container again later. 

We do not recommend closing chickens loose in the boot of your car since they can easily get injured and stressed out moving around the compartment.  It is also not a good idea to hold them unrestrained on your lap since they can easily damage you and your car if they struggle to escape. 

Chickens should never be wrapped tightly in a towel or blanket because they need to be able to freely expand their chest wall in order to breathe.

Introducing Birds

If you are introducing new birds to an existing flock, you ideally want to keep them separate for 30 days in an area where they can still see the rest of your flock. This gives you time to watch them for signs of infectious diseases that could be harmful to your birds and to give them time to get used to being on your property.

When you do allow the birds to mix together, monitor the birds at least 3 times a day for signs that they might not be getting along. This could be pecking at each other, signs of visible injuries from fighting, and blocking access to food and water resources.