Integrating 7 week chicks into 17 week old flock

[Snowbirds3]

Hi all, we are first time chicken raisers and are struggling to figure out how to manage the merging of our two young flocks. We have two hens who are 17 weeks old, and three chicks who are now 7 weeks old. For the past 3 weeks, we’ve put the chicks out every day in a fenced off area of the yard where they and the “big girls” can see but not touch each other (the older chickens free range in the yard during the day). The chicks still come inside to sleep in their brooder pen at night because we don’t have a second coop. I’m wondering if we should get a second coop vs start to introduce the two flocks. The big girls are curious about the babies and spend a lot of time near their pen, sleeping in the dirt nearby or eating/drinking alongside them (we put extra food and water on the side of the fence that the big girls can access). But when given a chance, the big girls definitely try to peck the chicks. I know this will be a process and that pecking and jostling will happen, but we’re feeling hesitant about introducing the two flocks. I’d like to get the babies living full time outside by the end of this month, but having never done this, we’re feeing hesitant. Thoughts, advice?

Laura

 

[sourland]

Have you tried free ranging the two groups together ? A little pecking is quite normal, and helps with the integration. I would not coop them together over night until they have become accustomed to free ranging together.

 

[tsperry88]

This what I'm trying. Just a fenced off box in the main coop. I hope is solves 2 problems. Getting them to return to the coop at night, and helping the big girls except them. There was initial pecking attempts, but they are currently living together happily. The next step will be to cut some openings in a small sheet of plywood, that the big chicks can't get through and fasten it to the little pen so that the littles can come and go as they please but have a place of safety to return too.

 

[RW1984]

Another thing I did was create little hideouts my chicks could fit into but the big ones could not and had it spread thru the run.
When I integrated fully the littles spent a week or so hiding under them but would get bolder and finally they’d all venture out together. They got pecked here and there but we’re welcomed overall by all 30 big hens and Roos

 

[tsperry88]

Another thing I did was create little hideouts my chicks could fit into but the big ones could not and had it spread thru the run.
When I integrated fully the littles spent a week or so hiding under them but would get bolder and finally they’d all venture out together. They got pecked here and there but we’re welcomed overall by all 30 big hens and Roos

That's a good idea. I thought about placing some pallets in the run, on top smaller concrete blocks that the big birds can fit under easily.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hi, welcome to the forum. Glad you joined.

It would help a lot to know what you have to work with. The size of your coop and run in feet or meters and how they are tied together. Photos can help. It's hard to give specific suggestions when we don't know what you are dealing with. So all I can be is generic.

At seven weeks they are past any cold related issues. They should be able to handle temperatures well below freeing. Heat might be an issue during the day. With the number of chickens you are talking about it's pretty common for people to have pretty small coops and runs. Integration is a lot easier of you have more room. Free ranging helps a lot during the day but doesn't really help at night.

I integrate several different aged groups every year with my flock of adults, some broody raised and some brooder-raised. Typically my different groups form their own sub-flocks based on maturity level. Each group avoids the more mature groups. During the day they have enough room to stay far away from each other and I have several feed and water stations scattered so they can all eat and drink in peace. For nighttime, I have three different coops or shelters they can sleep in. Eventually they all merge into one flock but not until they mature. For my pullets that is usually when they start to lay eggs.

Without knowing your specifics my general suggestion is to fix up a predator-safe place outside where the young ones can spend the night. If your coop is big enough that would probably be your best place. Train them to go to it at dark. During the day let them all free range. Do this when you can observe them in case there are problems but I'd expect them to just avoid each other during the day once they get adjusted. If they are all locked in close quarters either as they are going to bed or when they wake up in the morning is when I'd be most concerned.

Sometimes these things go so smoothly you wonder what all the worry was about but it can be dangerous. Good luck!

 

[Snowbirds3]

Thank you all for your suggestions and maybe especially for the reassurance that it won’t be as big a deal as we feared. This morning we brought the babies out to free range a it before letting the big girls out and then supervised their first direct encounter. A fair bit of pecking at first but then they settled down pretty well with only a bit of nipping when a baby ventured too close to a big girl. What a relief! We’re going to keep doing this everyday until they seem settled in enough to try staying overnight in the coop. Our coop is sized for 4-6 birds and has a fairly small run so we have opened it up every morning to allow free ranging in the yard, then closing it up by dark every night. I’ll see what I can fashion for a hiding place in the coop for the babies—at this point they’re not that much smaller than the big girls, so I’ll have to find just the right thing to work. Feeling more confident about this whole merging of flocks though!