Hello new chicken owner

[ritabird]

Hi I started with 2 week old black sex linked chicks first disaster 8 weeks old put babies in coop 1 squeezed through coop dog ate him his sister chick cried all night would escape from brooder and jump in bed with me thought she was going to die from broken heart. Bought a second chick same age added to brooder after 2 days they became fast friends. Next mistake I also bright 2 laying hen .... to big to get out of coop, they are happy and payed first egg today I was so proud. Well now that I am a successful chicken handler I decided to introduce the chicks to the coop. Big birds jumped on babies pulling out feathers!!!!! I saved them and put them back in brooder. What do I do now???!!!!!!

 

[drumstick diva]

The best way to integrate young chicks to older birds is the "Look but don't touch method," of integration. If you put that in the search box above it will pop up for you. it is the kindest, gentlest way to do so.

 

[ritabird]

Thank I will

 

[Cntry1958]

You may need to divide off the coop and run so both have there own side with water and feed.
This allows them to interact but not touch or hurt each other. First let the chicks if they are ok to feather back in before you introduce them to each other. Give them about a month or two like this before you take the chicks out and put back in with the chickens. Make sure the chicks are pretty much grown before you add them together.

 

[ritabird]

Going to look no touch method, I have a 100 square foot dog kennel converted to chick coop has a real coop and a plastic dog house inside will chicken wire opening to dog house and place chicks inside when close to size of bigger hens do you think that will work?

 

[Cntry1958]

Hi

Inside your 100 sq ft pen is there room to put a smaller run and chick house inside it at one end and the older Chickens on the other side?

Make sure the top is covered so chickens can not get inside where the small chicks are. The rest of the run is for the chickens to run. This way they get to see each other smell each other and inter act but there is no direct contact yet.
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Hope this makes a bit more cense to you with little sketch at the top
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[Teila]

G’Day from down under ritabird

Welcome!

I am so sorry to hear of your loss and troubles. You might find this recent Topic of the Week good reading: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1126547/topic-of-the-week-integrating-chicks-into-an-adult-flock

Good luck!

I hope you enjoy being a BYC member. There are lots of friendly and very helpful folks here so not only is it overflowing with useful information it is also a great place to make friends and have some fun.

You might want to also pop in and say hello on your local thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/26/where-am-i-where-are-you ‘Find your State’s thread.

If you would like to share pictures and stories of your flock, you have come to the right place. BYC’ers never tire of these and do not back away slowly or commence eye rolling when the photo album or home videos come out

 

[ritabird]

Thank you