imacowgirl2
Songster
We have successful integration of our older Buff Orpington pullet (about 12 weeks old), Firecracker, and the new batch of 16 day old chicks!!
The chicks have been in a large brooder inside the coop since day 3; on day 6 we cut chick doors into the brooder sides and let them start exploring the coop (with Firecracker locked out in the run or out free ranging). On day 10, we started letting them explore the coop and run while Firecracker was locked out of both free ranging. At 14 days we did a supervised visit which showed there wasn't enough clutter in the run. We put a lot more clutter in the run that evening, and did another supervised visit yesterday, which ended up lasting over 6 hours because it went so well, and we didn't lock the chicks in the brooder last night. Today they've been out together all day.
Firecracker is still occasionally chasing the chicks, but they're very quick to duck into hiding spots, so she is never able to chase them more than a few feet. Today they've spent most of their time doing chicken things in opposite sides of the run and ignoring each other.
I'm not saying early, accelerated integration will work for everyone, but for those who may have circumstances encouraging an early and/or accelerated integration, it can be done in the right conditions.
We needed to get a quick integration done because the chicks were becoming very bored in just the coop and starting to pick each other's feathers, and I couldn't let them in the run until they were integrated because Firecracker has been locked in the run more often than normal due to baling season limiting free range time. Baling season means the farm dogs are near our property more often (we lost the remainder of Firecrackers flock to a farm dog earlier this year...it killed one and scattered the rest so far they didn't know how to get home...I've since beefed up the perimeter fence to our yard but still don't like her to be out in the yard free ranging when I know the farm dogs are frequently around), so she stays locked in the run more often.
I think one of the keys to our success was all the clutter creating tons of chick safe zones. It was also key that the chicks had time without Firecracker in the run to figure out how to quickly get into the coop (to get into the brooder if needed) and to explore the run so they were familiar with the layout. Having plenty of room in the run also helped. It also didn't hurt that there is only one of her and 23 of them... She can't gang up on all of them at once.
At this point we will no longer lock the chicks in the brooder at night, but we will leave it up for at least another week to continue to provide the chicks a safe space inside the coop.
And some pictures from today ...
The chicks have been in a large brooder inside the coop since day 3; on day 6 we cut chick doors into the brooder sides and let them start exploring the coop (with Firecracker locked out in the run or out free ranging). On day 10, we started letting them explore the coop and run while Firecracker was locked out of both free ranging. At 14 days we did a supervised visit which showed there wasn't enough clutter in the run. We put a lot more clutter in the run that evening, and did another supervised visit yesterday, which ended up lasting over 6 hours because it went so well, and we didn't lock the chicks in the brooder last night. Today they've been out together all day.
Firecracker is still occasionally chasing the chicks, but they're very quick to duck into hiding spots, so she is never able to chase them more than a few feet. Today they've spent most of their time doing chicken things in opposite sides of the run and ignoring each other.
I'm not saying early, accelerated integration will work for everyone, but for those who may have circumstances encouraging an early and/or accelerated integration, it can be done in the right conditions.
We needed to get a quick integration done because the chicks were becoming very bored in just the coop and starting to pick each other's feathers, and I couldn't let them in the run until they were integrated because Firecracker has been locked in the run more often than normal due to baling season limiting free range time. Baling season means the farm dogs are near our property more often (we lost the remainder of Firecrackers flock to a farm dog earlier this year...it killed one and scattered the rest so far they didn't know how to get home...I've since beefed up the perimeter fence to our yard but still don't like her to be out in the yard free ranging when I know the farm dogs are frequently around), so she stays locked in the run more often.
I think one of the keys to our success was all the clutter creating tons of chick safe zones. It was also key that the chicks had time without Firecracker in the run to figure out how to quickly get into the coop (to get into the brooder if needed) and to explore the run so they were familiar with the layout. Having plenty of room in the run also helped. It also didn't hurt that there is only one of her and 23 of them... She can't gang up on all of them at once.
At this point we will no longer lock the chicks in the brooder at night, but we will leave it up for at least another week to continue to provide the chicks a safe space inside the coop.
And some pictures from today ...
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