Topic of the Week - Integrating Chicks into an Adult Flock

[Ridgerunner]

Hi all,

I have six 16-week olds (5 large breed pullets and a BO capon) living in a 400 sq ft run.

I will be receiving 3 day old Silver Gray Dorking chicks from Meyer Hatchery in about 2 weeks. I'm planning to brood in the run, with a large wire dog corral, using a MHP. I'll cover the top with plywood and the sides with smaller gauge wire. My plan is to allow a couple of weeks for "look, but don't touch" before I allow the peeps in with the bigs.

My plan is in place, but I have one lingering concern: disease. I've vaccinated my birds against Mareks, IBD, Newcastle, and fowl & pigeon pox. I've nursed 2 of my birds through a mild respiratory infection at 8 weeks. I would like people's opinions about the pros and cons of a quarantine versus putting the chicks out as soon as possible. Should I quarantine? If so, what is the minimum time I should brood them inside, if quarantine is the only constraint?

Personally I don’t worry about quarantining chicks I get from a reputable hatchery in the mail and Meyer is certainly a reputable hatchery. They make their living by providing disease free chicks. The eggs are normally laid in a separate facility and moved to the incubation location. They fumigate and sterilize practically everything. Each hatchery is different and run by different people but their biosecurity measures are generally professional. After all, they are professionals.

Other people will have a different opinion, but I consider the big risk is that your bigs will infect the new ones. I consider quarantine of chicks from a major hatchery as unnecessary.

 

[azygous]

I just integrated mine a week ago. I put them in a coop along side the run for 2 weeks when i got them at 8 weeks old. When they were 10 weeks old i let the chicks out to free range with hens and gathered them all together back in coop and very little pecking... The chicks keep to themselves mostly and the hens keep to themselves but the are all good. My question is, the little ones stay in the coop now when the older ones free range... is this normal?

Yes, it's normal for chicks to hang back and not run right out into the big world. Chicks know they're prey and will take their time while assuring themselves it's safe to proceed. It's taken my three-months olds since they were six weeks old to venture the short distance to the compost pile from the safety of the run. They range a little farther each day.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I just integrated mine a week ago. I put them in a coop along side the run for 2 weeks when i got them at 8 weeks old. When they were 10 weeks old i let the chicks out to free range with hens and gathered them all together back in coop and very little pecking... The chicks keep to themselves mostly and the hens keep to themselves but the are all good. My question is, the little ones stay in the coop now when the older ones free range... is this normal?

I consider that behavior pretty normal. It’s only been a week, sometimes it takes a while for the younger ones to get comfortable going outside to forage. So that could be part of it.

Another part is that the young ones will avoid the older ones, at least for a while. They may not have figured out that they can do that outside yet.

I have 19 sixteen-week-old chicks that were raised in a brooder in the coop. Eleven weeks ago when they were five weeks I opened the brooder door so they could mix. Most of them are now outside pretty well mixing with the adults but there are a few that still prefer to stay in the coop most of the day while the adults are outside. People tend to get hung up on how their chickens interact, thinking they are doing something wrong if the chickens don’t respond a certain way. It doesn’t work that way. Each chicken is an individual, each flock has its own dynamics.

From what you wrote, yours are getting along great. You have had a very successful integration. Now just be patient and let them be chickens. When the young ones mature enough they will start to hang out with the older chickens. Sometimes they really join in the main flock, hanging with the older ones like they were raised with them. Sometimes they pretty much remain a separate flock, even in full maturity, but they all get along. Usually mine eventually fully join the older ones but you still see the ones raised together sometimes sort of hanging a bit separately. It’s all good.

 

[cra-zchicknlady]

I've never had the luck of having a broody take her clutch full term. I keep the young birds separate until they have adult feathers, and are near the same size. The last batch went into a chicken tractor until they were ready. Then, I wait until the sun has set, and put them in the main coop with the rest of the flock. There's still a few awkward days where I keep a closer eye on them to make sure one little isn't getting ganged up on. The three times I've done this, there hasn't been more violence than a single peck to the head. I've never mixed less than four new birds into the flock, so I don't know how well it would work with smaller numbers. As for food, when the new birds are added, I mix the feed half starter and half grower for about two weeks. The older flock members seem to enjoy the variety, and it gives the young birds time to adjust. I did have an issue with a pushy cockerel, but the flock matron straightened him out.

 

[jcooper3]

Thank you

Personally I don’t worry about quarantining chicks I get from a reputable hatchery in the mail and Meyer is certainly a reputable hatchery. They make their living by providing disease free chicks. The eggs are normally laid in a separate facility and moved to the incubation location. They fumigate and sterilize practically everything. Each hatchery is different and run by different people but their biosecurity measures are generally professional. After all, they are professionals.

Other people will have a different opinion, but I consider the big risk is that your bigs will infect the new ones. I consider quarantine of chicks from a major hatchery as unnecessary.

Thank you so much for your advice! Of course, it's always nice when we hear an opinion that is in line with our own preference.

 

[sunflour]

Subscribing

this is a very needed topic for many of us who have not added young ones to our flocks. And personally I really want to add some newbies next spring but am quite nervous about the logistics of accomplishing the task.

There is already great advice posted here, thank you to all who are taking the time to document your expertise and experiences.

** already one 3,000 views here**

 

[Melissa Sakata]

This has been a great help! I recently acquired 3 Black Orp pullets approximately 4 months old, after having to find homes for 3 roos, and it sure has upset the balance with the original flock of pullets. Orps are usually so docile and are usually bullied, and the top pullet is a Blue Orp and is doing her best to unsettle the newbies. I know that it is to be expected because of the pecking order and all, but I have to find creative ways to let the old flock out to forage, while new ones stay in the run to get food and water. I am hoping to a large extent, that this issue will be resolved within a week, as I return to teaching, and will not be home to make sure the newbies are getting enough food and water.

 

[Folly's place]

Multiple food and water stations are necessary, at least for a few weeks. It does take time, and they all need space and places to escape from each other. Mary

 

[azygous]

This has been a great help! I recently acquired 3 Black Orp pullets approximately 4 months old, after having to find homes for 3 roos, and it sure has upset the balance with the original flock of pullets. Orps are usually so docile and are usually bullied, and the top pullet is a Blue Orp and is doing her best to unsettle the newbies. I know that it is to be expected because of the pecking order and all, but I have to find creative ways to let the old flock out to forage, while new ones stay in the run to get food and water. I am hoping to a large extent, that this issue will be resolved within a week, as I return to teaching, and will not be home to make sure the newbies are getting enough food and water.

Have you read the first page of this thread and my first post answering the topic questions? In it I pointed out that a very simple thing like a card table or even a small patio table can solve a lot of the issues of feeding much younger and new chickens. Older chickens, usually being of stouter build than less-than-one-year olds, aren't generally inclined to hop up onto surfaces over three feet high. At least it's holding true in my flock.

I place food on an old camp table placed off to the side in the run, and my three-month olds eat there as well as nap and relax in safety. It really doesn't take up any extra space since the area under the table is still usable. It sure does go a long way toward keeping the peace.

 

[Ridgerunner]

This has been a great help! I recently acquired 3 Black Orp pullets approximately 4 months old, after having to find homes for 3 roos, and it sure has upset the balance with the original flock of pullets. Orps are usually so docile and are usually bullied, and the top pullet is a Blue Orp and is doing her best to unsettle the newbies. I know that it is to be expected because of the pecking order and all, but I have to find creative ways to let the old flock out to forage, while new ones stay in the run to get food and water. I am hoping to a large extent, that this issue will be resolved within a week, as I return to teaching, and will not be home to make sure the newbies are getting enough food and water.

Have you read the first page of this thread and my first post answering the topic questions? In it I pointed out that a very simple thing like a card table or even a small patio table can solve a lot of the issues of feeding much younger and new chickens. Older chickens, usually being of stouter build than less-than-one-year olds, aren't generally inclined to hop up onto surfaces over three feet high. At least it's holding true in my flock.

I place food on an old camp table placed off to the side in the run, and my three-month olds eat there as well as nap and relax in safety. It really doesn't take up any extra space since the area under the table is still usable. It sure does go a long way toward keeping the peace.

I keep saying you need more room to integrate but that square feet isn’t what is important. I think this is a great example. That card table does not add many actual square feet, but the quality of what it does add is tremendous. It gives the young ones a way to get away from the more mature ones. I like it.