Can pullets stay in run with existing flock?

[spiritpots]

I have three 12-week old pullets that I am slowly introducing to my existing flock of 5 chickens (2 are 2-1/2 years old and 3 are 1-1/2 years old). I currently have the pullets in a temporary run next to the main coop/run for the next month until I take the final steps to fully integrate them with the older girls and I have been taking them back to their pen in the garage for the night. Since I have four more weeks of this "see but don't touch" phase I am looking for an option that does not require me walking back and forth to the garage every morning and evening. I did this last year when I introduced the three younger 1-1/2 year olds and it worked fine but I am looking to work smarter this time.

The older chickens free range when I am home during the day (which is most of the time) but when I am gone they stay in the run. I know it would work to put a dog crate in the run at night for the pullets to sleep and move the pullets into their temporary run during the day. However, since the temporary run is not permanent (i.e. not totally predator-proof) I would not want to risk leaving the pullets in it when I am not home. My plan was to put the pen from the garage inside the run for the last step of introducing the pullets to the other girls but was not going to do that for a few more weeks. If I put the pen into the main run for the pullets to sleep in at night but also leave the pullets in it when I am gone during the day while the bigger girls are in the run/coop, will that be okay? Or is it too soon to have the pullets in the run with the bigger girls even though they would be separated? The pen is made with hardware cloth so the bigger girls would not be able to peck the younger ones. I would also cover the sides of the pen at night so the pullets would feel more secure while sleeping. I could also do this on at least one side of the pen during the day if that would make the pullets feel safer.

Here are couple photos of my set up. Note: the pen does not have its cover on in the photo. I appreciate any comments you may have! Thank you!

 

[Pghelp]

You don't mention time frame. Have the pullets been isolated long enough that you're sure there are no diseases? That would be my first concern. If so, then leaving them in the pen within the run should be okay as long as the run is predator proof. If you haven't yet completed the bio security isolation, I wouldn't put the pullets in the same environment. See-don't touch doesn't mean there couldn't still be germ sharing. I hope I understood your situation correctly.

 

[spiritpots]

Thank you for bringing up bio security, @Pghelp. Yes, I understand bio security and take it very seriously. I got the new chicks when they were six weeks old from the same breeder as my other chickens and they have been quarantined from my existing flock for six weeks. I put the pullets in the temporary run today and the older girls didn't pay any attention to them. I know the pullets will be fine in the run at night since it is very safe from predators, but am unsure of how things will go if the pullets are inside the pen in the run during the day (with the bigger girls also in the run) when I need to be gone. I should also mention that the pullets would have access to food and water in the pen during the day if I'm gone, however I would remove it at night when they sleep.

 

[Pghelp]

I started introducing my littles in a dog crate inside the run of the big girls. They might get their heads pecked if they are close to the wires, but having the pen in the run sounds like the safest bet to me. Good luck and let us know how it goes!

 

[RobertaD1]

Honestly, if they have been in a run beside your existing flock for 6 weeks... I would integrate them now. See how things go. My 12 weeks have been fully integrated for 7-8 weeks now. Yeah, they are the lowest on the pecking order... but I'm totally over the whole chickens in 7 different places things.
You chickens have all been through the look dont touch... give it a try.

 

[Ridgerunner]

If I put the pen into the main run for the pullets to sleep in at night but also leave the pullets in it when I am gone during the day while the bigger girls are in the run/coop, will that be okay?

Yes.

Or is it too soon to have the pullets in the run with the bigger girls even though they would be separated?

No. I don't see what you are concerned about with this. My brooder is in the coop, the chicks go into it straight from the incubator or post office. What is your worry with this?

The way I'd approach this would be to move the pen into a predator safe area for a week so they get used to sleeping there. Then when the older ones are free ranging, let them all out to free range. You'll want to observe the first time or two. I'd expect the bigs to return to their sleeping place at night and the littles to return to that pen to sleep. Eventually they will move into the main coop to sleep by themselves or you may need to move them, but be patient about that. Base your actions on what you see.

 

[spiritpots]

If I put the pen into the main run for the pullets to sleep in at night but also leave the pullets in it when I am gone during the day while the bigger girls are in the run/coop, will that be okay?

Yes.

Or is it too soon to have the pullets in the run with the bigger girls even though they would be separated?

No. I don't see what you are concerned about with this. My brooder is in the coop, the chicks go into it straight from the incubator or post office. What is your worry with this?

The way I'd approach this would be to move the pen into a predator safe area for a week so they get used to sleeping there. Then when the older ones are free ranging, let them all out to free range. You'll want to observe the first time or two. I'd expect the bigs to return to their sleeping place at night and the littles to return to that pen to sleep. Eventually they will move into the main coop to sleep by themselves or you may need to move them, but be patient about that. Base your actions on what you see.

This sounds great, @Ridgerunner. The only reason I was going to wait a few weeks to put the pullets into the actual run in a separate pen was from comments I had read last year about integrating flocks and it was recommend to wait and do that until the pullets are about the same size as the older chickens. This is what I did last year when I had new chickens and it worked fine, but meant I was taking the pullets back to their pen in the garage to sleep at night. I will give this a try!

 

[spiritpots]

Honestly, if they have been in a run beside your existing flock for 6 weeks... I would integrate them now. See how things go. My 12 weeks have been fully integrated for 7-8 weeks now. Yeah, they are the lowest on the pecking order... but I'm totally over the whole chickens in 7 different places things.
You chickens have all been through the look dont touch... give it a try.

They've only been in the temporary run next to the existing run/coop for a couple of days so I'll give it another day or two then put the pen into the run and put the littles in at night and during the day when I'm gone. I completely agree with you... having to manage several housing situation for new flock members gets old fast.