Integrating chicks into flock at 4 weeks old.

[LesleyS]

Wasn't sure where to put this, thought it might do the most good here in the chick forum.
Yes, you can integrate your little fluff balls at a much younger age than you might think.

Prior thinking was to wait until chicks were at least 8 weeks old or of a size almost equal to the older birds,
so they would have a 'fighting' chance against the usual aggressive rejection of new birds by an established flock.
It has come to pass that many folks are now finding that integrating much younger is easier for all involved.

One thing has stayed the same tho, the new birds are kept in a 'see but no touch' adjacent pen for a few weeks prior to allowing physical contact.
This allows everyone to get used to seeing and hearing each other without having to share physical space and feed/water.

Here's a couple of key reasons why it works:
Tiny chicks are less of threat to the older birds and their resources(space, food, water).
Tiny chicks are a small target for pecking and fast as all get out - so harder to 'catch'.

For easier composition/editing/linking I wrote and illustrated with pics how I integrate chicks in an 'article' found here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old
Post any questions here in this thread as I don't get notifications of comments made on articles.

 

[LesleyS]

At what age can I let them loose with the older group?

 

[Mrs. K]

Personally I have had very good results with a week on see no touch, and then a safety zone

 

[sealer39]

Aart,
I just came across this thread and realized where I got the idea to use 2” pvc on top of T posts as a joint. Thanks.
Also, I will be using this method of integration for 3 Black Copper Marans chicks in a few weeks. I’ll need to do some minor construction but is should be workable. Good article.

 

[aart]

At what age can I let them loose with the older group?

Did you read the article linked in the first post of this thread?

 

[Stephine]

That’s what I thought - Right now they are maybe a quarter of the size of my big girls and they are still plenty fast... and they have had a full two weeks of side by side living already.
I will try it.
I just read in the thread though that the bottom openings could get blocked by kicked up shavings, so I will have to change my plan for access to the safe areas a bit...

Here’s an update:
So, I ended up creating vertical openings to the babies‘ two pens (one in the coop, the other in the run) about 3,5-4“ wide. I proofed them by throwing treats in there and watching the older hens struggle to get in - unsuccessfully. I rigged up a 14“ high dividing wall for the middle of the coop, with about one foot room to get around on one side and a horizontal opening across the length of the board tall enough for the chicks to just fit through - just to slow down any chasing hen and allow the little ones more time to find the opening to their pen. Outside, I put down large empty flower pots and boards in strategic places to create additional hiding spots and escape tunnels. I added a roost that I knew the big ones would not be able to get to easily. I let them explore the coop and pen without the big ones for a half hour or so every morning for a week. I blocked the big ones until the babies had made it to their pen outside (so they wouldn’t be stuck in a stifling hot coop all day) and they‘d remain in there until roosting time, and then they ‚d go in their inside pen for the night. There was lots of chasing by the big ones and the three bottom hens took it on themselves to make sure the babies stayed in their pens, and away from anything fun, basically. This finally changed when the littles approached laying age and started getting bolder. One started to mingle freely, the others came out on occasion. A few more weeks and the chasing mostly stopped. I took out the outside pen once I saw that the littles had finally found perches to get out of the way in the run and were having a hard time squeezing through the entrances to their pens. Another week later (yesterday) I took out their inside pen and now they are all happily mingeling. The bottom hens have stopped their „babysitting“ and eat alongside them now. Finally integrated, Yay!

 

[bruceha2000]

Excellent!!

 

[termeerchick]

Thank you for all the good info. I am just about to integrate my momma and 3 babies that are now
9 weeks old. I plan on having a fence in between them for a few weeks and then let them out together during the day so I can monitor them. I’ll see where they go at night. Hopefully the same coop. If not that’s something we’ll have to work on. But I am so glad I found this forum. Thank you!!!!

 

[aart]

Thank you for all the good info. I am just about to integrate my momma and 3 babies that are now
9 weeks old. I plan on having a fence in between them for a few weeks and then let them out together during the day so I can monitor them. I’ll see where they go at night. Hopefully the same coop. If not that’s something we’ll have to work on. But I am so glad I found this forum. Thank you!!!!

This topic/technique doesn't apply to a broody with chicks....that's a whole other scenario, mostly about mama integrating back into the flock.
@termeerchick Would be good to start a new thread here about how to do this.
Lots of different things can happen.

 

[bruceha2000]

I've not had a problem with mama reintegrating in the 2 instances where I've had a broody raise hatchery chicks. She protects the littles from everyone else until the day her "I'm brooding chicks" switch goes off. Then she rejoins the rest of the older girls leaving the poor chicks to figure out why their protector has switched sides. By then they have figured out how to run from the other hens. At now 17 weeks, my "littles" are still low on the hierarchy even though they are near full size and still run from the others but they all sleep in the coop and range with the older girls.