One month brood along / integrate along - from feed store to coop

[rosemarythyme]

4/9 First brief outing. Chicks are 13 and 20 days old. 53F and damp (rain stopped around 10 AM).

The downside of raising chicks around here in early spring is rain is a constant thing. So I would've let them out a little earlier, but the rain only let up this morning.

Since I needed to do some run work and yard work, I opened up the brooder to see if the babies would come out. Of course they wouldn't come out while I was still in the run, but after I finished up in the yard work (figuring I'd hear them screaming if they got lost or chased) they were out and about.

As I have a split run it comes in very handy when integrating - with dirt cleared from the bottom of the dividing fence the chicks can easily squeeze under to explore, but adults can't follow if they start chasing. I had all adults except a nearly immobile 7-year-old hen locked in the other half of the run, but the chicks went under the fence to visit them.




Most of the adults barely reacted. A couple made halfhearted attempts to peck but didn't pursue. A few flat out ran away haha.

The chicks were only out about half an hour and then I rounded them up and put them back in. With the weather forecast looking more agreeable the rest of this week I plan on letting them out for longer the next few days, and assuming there's no real issues with any adults I hope to set up the brooder with panic openings on Friday or Saturday so they can have full daytime run access from that point forward.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Looking cozy in there! They're SO cute!! What kind of adult is that? I see puffy cheeks, very pretty! I cleaned out my integration run, littles side just now in anticipation of finally dry weather this weekend. They are very ready to meet the Bigs. I'm really so loving the Blue Copper Maran's feather feet! I don't have a name for her yet, just keep calling her "Blue" lol. 6weeks.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Looking cozy in there! They're SO cute!! What kind of adult is that? I see puffy cheeks, very pretty! I cleaned out my integration run, littles side just now in anticipation of finally dry weather this weekend. They are very ready to meet the Bigs. I'm really so loving the Blue Copper Maran's feather feet! I don't have a name for her yet, just keep calling her "Blue" lol. 6weeks.View attachment 3796586

That's Cuddlebug, an EE. Hubby immediately asked if she went after them, since she can go from being sugar sweet to a complete annoyance. But she was good, the chicks turned around once she got that close and she didn't pursue.

Your "Blue" is a cutie! Names are still on hold for my group right now. We traditionally name them at around 2 weeks, but I think I'll decide this weekend once we spend more time with them (I've been handling them very minimally inside the brooder as it's hard to get in there with the ground outside being wet!)

 

[SandyRiverChick]

That's Cuddlebug, an EE.

I love her coloring! The disadvantage of me getting from the same hatchery every year is that I never have a different color combo with EE's and OE's.... Bring on the sun, we're all ready!

 

[SandyRiverChick]

I just remembered one of your little's is a Crevecoeur. I hope you post pictures, that is going to be a fun looking chicken! My son really wants me to get one! Yet another disadvantage, Privett>my feed store doesn't have them....

 

[rosemarythyme]

I love her coloring! The disadvantage of me getting from the same hatchery every year is that I never have a different color combo with EE's and OE's.... Bring on the sun, we're all ready!

That's why I like EEs, you never know what color or pattern you'll get from them or what their eggs will look like. I think of them as my default chicken, if I need an extra chick to fill up the box.

I just remembered one of your little's is a Crevecoeur. I hope you post pictures, that is going to be a fun looking chicken! My son really wants me to get one! Yet another disadvantage, Privett>my feed store doesn't have them....

I honestly hadn't even heard of them until a few days before I went to the feed store. They were listed on the feed store site as available from the prior shipment, so I read about the breed just in case some were still for sale. I'd actually wanted a Delaware as #4 but the last one had sold before I'd gotten there, so I grabbed a Crevecoeur instead.

Hoping the poof won't cause issues but since I have a very random assortment of birds it hopefully won't stand out as too much of a target? I have no objection to trimming it if needed.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Well I can't wait to hear about it since my son is never going to stop asking me to get "one of those crazy looking chickens." I really wanted a Delaware too! And my friend was really surprised when I told her that I almost got a chick last year but the guy at the feed store talked me out of it. He said they're aggressive. She had also told me that her's was mean. But it was SO PRETTY. I just want to try......

 

[rosemarythyme]

I really wanted a Delaware too! And my friend was really surprised when I told her that I almost got a chick last year but the guy at the feed store talked me out of it. He said they're aggressive. She had also told me that her's was mean. But it was SO PRETTY. I just want to try......

I just want a Columbian colored bird, so it doesn't have to be a Delaware but that's the one that usually comes to mind. Just means I'll aim for a Columbian colored bird the next time... that's how we do things around here. A Barnevelder was my must have this time around.

 

[Rick&Chris]

4/9 First brief outing. Chicks are 13 and 20 days old. 53F and damp (rain stopped around 10 AM).

The downside of raising chicks around here in early spring is rain is a constant thing. So I would've let them out a little earlier, but the rain only let up this morning.

Since I needed to do some run work and yard work, I opened up the brooder to see if the babies would come out. Of course they wouldn't come out while I was still in the run, but after I finished up in the yard work (figuring I'd hear them screaming if they got lost or chased) they were out and about.

As I have a split run it comes in very handy when integrating - with dirt cleared from the bottom of the dividing fence the chicks can easily squeeze under to explore, but adults can't follow if they start chasing. I had all adults except a nearly immobile 7-year-old hen locked in the other half of the run, but the chicks went under the fence to visit them.

View attachment 3796527
View attachment 3796528

Most of the adults barely reacted. A couple made halfhearted attempts to peck but didn't pursue. A few flat out ran away haha.

The chicks were only out about half an hour and then I rounded them up and put them back in. With the weather forecast looking more agreeable the rest of this week I plan on letting them out for longer the next few days, and assuming there's no real issues with any adults I hope to set up the brooder with panic openings on Friday or Saturday so they can have full daytime run access from that point forward.

I love this idea to integrate. Unfortunately, I don't have the space to do this type of separation (if I could only start over, I wasn't thinking of adding more at the time we got our coop).

Currently my littles (7 and 8 weeks old) are in a 'grow out coop' inside my run - picture attached. I did put a dog crate to the right in the corner so they have more space. The older hens and rooster are outside the grow out coop in the run and they can all see each other.

At what point do you suggest a full integration with my almost 6 year old hens and my 2 year old rooster? And how do I go about doing this? Thanks in advance!

 

[rosemarythyme]

At what point do you suggest a full integration with my almost 6 year old hens and my 2 year old rooster? And how do I go about doing this? Thanks in advance!

"Now." The littles are getting to the age where they're almost too big to take advantage of their size, which is what allows me to get away with throwing them together so early.

How many birds do you have in each age group (bigs and littles) and how much space are you working with in the run? I see a bit of clutter but you might find it advantageous to temporarily clutter up more, if you have space for it.

Since you have the mini coop/run set up inside the run, what I would consider doing if possible, is elevate the mini coop/run on bricks or pavers, so the littles can run under there for safety if needed, but can otherwise come out and interact with the bigs. At 8 weeks you're looking at maybe 2 bricks high - you want gap big enough for chicks to come out but small enough that adults won't get in (which is why this works best when they're tiny).

I unfortunately don't have photos for that, but to illustrate, imagine the chicken wire here is sitting on top of the bricks at the border of the wire. It'd be enough to let these chicks dart in and out, but would keep adults out.