Integration

[lazy gardener]

I thought this might be a good way to share integration experiences. My flock is 15 hens + Jack, the roo. Integrating 6 juveniles (2 months old, 4 pullets, 2 cockrels all recently having voice changes, boys starting to show beetle green/purple tail feathers) and 22 youngsters hatched May 6. Last night, I repositioned the electronet (not yet charged) around both the big coop and the smaller coop that the youngsters are in. There is a small fenced area attached to the youngsters fence. I opened up that fence, and let the babies out when I got home at 1:30. Pretty uneventful integration, except for the babies being hot and not able to figure out going around the fence to the opening. May yet cut a hole for them. Jack performed as expected. Doing a lot of tid-bitting, but babies did not understand what he was saying. Some pecking from the ladies. I spread plenty of food around to keep everybody busy, and set up the doors to the youngsters coop so they could hopefully come and go, but the adults would have a difficult time getting in to the youngsters coop.

 

[chicapee]

This will be a very helpful thread, as I will be integrating younguns soon. We are planning on building another coop and run adjacent to the original. So they can see each other. We will also make a small door leading from one to the other to allow them to go back and forth as necessary. Will do it very gradually and probably play it by ear.

 

[lazy gardener]

My biggest problem today is that the littles can squirt through the electronetting. I stepped out onto the deck this evening, and they spied me and were squirting out the netting everywhere, and all beating feet towards me. Cute... but... then I had to round them all up and get them shut in the coop so we could leave. So, I'll only be able to let them out when I can closely watch them. The garden is adjacent to the chicken run.

 

[lazy gardener]

Jack is proving to be as good a Daddy as I thought he would be. Today, I tossed out some stale crackers, and he went right to town, tidbitting the chicks, breaking the crackers up into smaller pieces for them.

 

[nbro01h]

I began integration with three chicks roughly 13 weeks old yesterday. As of today the cockeral is doing great but the two pullets won't come out of hiding. One has stayed in the coop all day sleeping in a nest box and one has been hiding behind a kennel I keep in the run. Is this behaviour something I should be concerned about?

 

[Balloonjuice]

I integrated a large number of 12 week olds with some girls only a little older than they were by about five weeks. Apart from having to establish a new pecking order it went pretty well. That was RIR with RIR. In about 12 weeks from now I'll be integrating some black stars (black sex link) ladies with my RIRs. I think I know the problems to watch for, but any hints from folks here with larger flocks would be welcomed. TIA

 

[cochinkeeper]

I've got 2 six or seven week old silkies I would like to put them with my 3 sebrights that are 13 weeks old, one of them is a rooster. They have seen each other through the wire but not been close up and personal. My rooster buddy seems very curious and puffs out at them so I'm a little worried my silkies will get hurt . I was hoping someone could offer some advice on how to do it or maybe the silkies are too young , or maybe now is the best time ? I'm just not sure !?

 

[nbro01h]

If the rooster is only 13 weeks I don't think it should be a problem as long as there is not a tremendous size difference. Let them see with out touching for about a week and then let them mingle. There will be some pecking and chasing but it should level out pretty quick. Just keep a close eye for a few days.

 

[cochinkeeper]

Thanks nbro01h it's been working out great everyone is living happily now and surprisingly enough the little silkies are litterly ruling the roost , they are tougher then they look !