Integration? Existing flock is clueless?

[Matejka]

I have an existing flock of 4 hens and a rooster (2+ yrs old).
And 12 3 week old babies. I moved the dog crate full of babies into coop. See don't touch. Its been 3 days. My flock is ignoring them. No interest no curiosity no aggression. Nothing. How long should this go on before I comingle the 2 groups?

 

[Mrs. K]

Now, ... if you do it a certain way. What you need now is a one way gate, something the chicks can flow through like water, but the big girls can't. This allows the chicks to venture forth on their terms (not yours) and retreat when needed to safety.

I would move the dog crate so that I could put up either pallets, or lattice or woven wire around it. You are not trying to keep the chicks in, but rather the older birds out. I like a wide entrance so that chicks can escape to safety from multiple directions.

At first the chicks will stay close to the safety zone, then gradually get braver, they are fast as lightening at 3 weeks, and can out run any old biddy. In a week, mine are eating along side the old ones, with an occasional mind your manners peck.

Works slick for me several times. You can see a pile of chicks to the side of the safety zone. The wire in front is off the ground about 4=6 inches, and I just laid a pallet up on some rocks, to increase the area of escape.

Feed the chicks in there.

 

[Matejka]

Ok
I used the divider from dog crate to. Make a door for littles.

 

[Matejka]

More pics

 

[Matejka]

1 little already made it to the run (thru the culvert) and is snooping around trying to figure out how to get back home

 

[Mrs. K]

Do put a couple of hideouts in the big run too. Out of sight, out of mind is valid for chickens, most of the time, if a chick irritates a hen, and she scolds, if the chick can disappear - it is over.

I have literally seen a chick eating next to an elder, and get a light peck, that chick retreated out of sight, and 15 seconds returned and ate right beside her. I call it bowing to the queen. As long as they do that, there is really no problems at all.

Mrs K

 

[rosemarythyme]

1 little already made it to the run (thru the culvert) and is snooping around trying to figure out how to get back home

I would carefully chase it back through whatever the nearest opening is, to show it how to get back. They'll pick up on it pretty quickly if they're shown how to safely access both areas.

And it's perfect that your flock is more or less ignoring them, so your timing is good for starting the next phase.

 

[Matejka]

Update: my 12 babies are now 24 weeks old. I didn't lose a single one. I have a couple that are laying.