Integrating baby chicks with flock

[The Dim Side]

I'm glad there's a recent thread of this! I'm going through a similar thing (been busy with new chicks, ducklings, etc., lol). Sadly, one of our 12 chickens we got as babies last year was apparently hit by something on the road a few weeks back. And something carried her body off into the woods, but I was able to follow the feather trail and find her. It was really heartbreaking.

But we decided to get another Golden Comet to replace her plus an additional Prairie Bluebell Egger (since one of the three Easter Eggers we got last year turned out to be a rooster, lol). I think the Comet is about 4 weeks old now, and the Egger is 5 weeks. I've been putting them out in a playpen, where the chickens have been able to be around them (they free range and sleep in a coop in the barn at night). The chickens seem mostly ambivalent about the chicks though.

The chicks have been in a brooder in the house, but we have a place set up in the barn near the coop now that we plan on moving them to. (It's a large dog crate but should be secure for them, but I'm just always nervous of predators.) My biggest concern is the rooster, and whether he'll accept them into the flock or not. This is the first time we'll be integrating new ones with them. (And fingers crossed these two are female!) I don't know if roosters have a tendency to kill chicks or "outsiders" or something. He's very protective of his flock generally though and good at herding them when there's food or if he thinks there's danger. So I was afraid to let them all be together since the chicks are still smaller, especially the Comet.

 

[junior67]

I'm glad there's a recent thread of this! I'm going through a similar thing (been busy with new chicks, ducklings, etc., lol). Sadly, one of our 12 chickens we got as babies last year was apparently hit by something on the road a few weeks back. And something carried her body off into the woods, but I was able to follow the feather trail and find her. It was really heartbreaking.

But we decided to get another Golden Comet to replace her plus an additional Prairie Bluebell Egger (since one of the three Easter Eggers we got last year turned out to be a rooster, lol). I think the Comet is about 4 weeks old now, and the Egger is 5 weeks. I've been putting them out in a playpen, where the chickens have been able to be around them (they free range and sleep in a coop in the barn at night). The chickens seem mostly ambivalent about the chicks though.

The chicks have been in a brooder in the house, but we have a place set up in the barn near the coop now that we plan on moving them to. (It's a large dog crate but should be secure for them, but I'm just always nervous of predators.) My biggest concern is the rooster, and whether he'll accept them into the flock or not. This is the first time we'll be integrating new ones with them. (And fingers crossed these two are female!) I don't know if roosters have a tendency to kill chicks or "outsiders" or something. He's very protective of his flock generally though and good at herding them when there's food or if he thinks there's danger. So I was afraid to let them all be together since the chicks are still smaller, especially the Comet.

I am not sure if it is true for all of them. My rooster is protective of his girls. Now I have been brooding mine right in the coop with everyone since week 1 but my rooster was the main one that would check them out. When I let them with the rest of the flock he was the first one to really be near them. He hasn't touched them once and seems to protect them from the others a bit. the 2 babies that my broody is raising he is the same way. The other girls have pecked them here and there but he pays no attention to them. I was worried about that too.

Main thing when you let them spend some time with the rest is to have things they can run behind/under that the big ones can't get to them. and even just things they can run around (a large stump, a flower pot etc) as that will act as a distraction for the bigger ones and they will normally just walk away. You don't want to let them out with the others in a small space with no place to get away if being chased.

 

[GuloGal]

I started out with 4 this spring and after a few weeks added 2 more. The little ones desperately wanted to be in the same brooder box as the older ones but the older ones were a bit too feisty for them so I kept them separated. I integrated them when the younger ones were 4 weeks old and the older ones were 7-8 weeks old. Very little drama between the groups and they all seem to be living peacefully together. I think the small number, relative age, and having plenty of space probably makes a difference into how easy the integration process is.

This is my exact situation so I hope mine works out this well. I have 4 that are 5 weeks old and 4 that are 2 weeks old, and really didn't want to wait until the little ones were 5-6 weeks to put them in the coop.

How did you do the feed? I have a bag of grower ready for when the older girls are a bit older, but if they are all together by that point, do the younger ones just switch to grower feed early? Or is it better to feed the starter feed longer?

 

[knobhillfarm]

This is my exact situation so I hope mine works out this well. I have 4 that are 5 weeks old and 4 that are 2 weeks old, and really didn't want to wait until the little ones were 5-6 weeks to put them in the coop.

How did you do the feed? I have a bag of grower ready for when the older girls are a bit older, but if they are all together by that point, do the younger ones just switch to grower feed early? Or is it better to feed the starter feed longer?

I have kept all mine on starter feed so they eat the same thing. In my research, the extra protein seemed to be preferable. I may switch to an all flock feed when they are a bit older, especially if some start laying much earlier than others with some oyster shell available to them. The older ones have a large plastic feeder that sits up on some landscaping stones. I also left the younger one’s small quart size feeder sitting on the opposite side of the run for a few days to help avoid any issues but after the first day they started eating with the older ones and didn’t pay much attention to it anymore.

 

[QueenBean]

My brooder is in the coop so they are raised with the flock. At five weeks I open the brooder door and walk away. I have a lot of room, that makes it easier.

My broody hens start raising the chicks with the flock at Day 1. Broody raised chicks are different from brooder raised chicks. I've had broody hens wean their chicks at three weeks, just leave them alone to make their way with the flock. I have a lot of room, the chicks do fine. If your set-up is tight for rom it could be more challenging.

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Thanks!

 

[QueenBean]

I'm glad there's a recent thread of this! I'm going through a similar thing (been busy with new chicks, ducklings, etc., lol). Sadly, one of our 12 chickens we got as babies last year was apparently hit by something on the road a few weeks back. And something carried her body off into the woods, but I was able to follow the feather trail and find her. It was really heartbreaking.

But we decided to get another Golden Comet to replace her plus an additional Prairie Bluebell Egger (since one of the three Easter Eggers we got last year turned out to be a rooster, lol). I think the Comet is about 4 weeks old now, and the Egger is 5 weeks. I've been putting them out in a playpen, where the chickens have been able to be around them (they free range and sleep in a coop in the barn at night). The chickens seem mostly ambivalent about the chicks though.

The chicks have been in a brooder in the house, but we have a place set up in the barn near the coop now that we plan on moving them to. (It's a large dog crate but should be secure for them, but I'm just always nervous of predators.) My biggest concern is the rooster, and whether he'll accept them into the flock or not. This is the first time we'll be integrating new ones with them. (And fingers crossed these two are female!) I don't know if roosters have a tendency to kill chicks or "outsiders" or something. He's very protective of his flock generally though and good at herding them when there's food or if he thinks there's danger. So I was afraid to let them all be together since the chicks are still smaller, especially the Comet.

I don't have experience with the rooster part. Sounds like you are well on your way to good integration though. Keep us posted!