Topic of the Week - Integrating Chicks into an Adult Flock

[SueT]

Try fermenting your feed. Go over to Bee's thread on the Feeding and Watering forum to get the details. In short, fermented feed is easy to do and releases all sorts of important nutrients such as natural pro-biotics. It increases the taste factor and chickens adore it. It also eliminates all waste since it's in a moist form and you feed it twice a day instead of leaving it out all day for the chickens to play with.

In the four years I've been feeding FF, the results have been nothing short of stunning.

THANK you thank you thank you--I found the thread! I am starting some fermenting right now!......The former free rangers need some major incentive to eat feed and this sounds like the answer.

 

[Penlady66]

Here is a picture of how I kept my younger chicks separated from my older ones to allow for them to adjust to each other. It worked great!!! And if I add to my flock I will do this again. I used a portable dog fence with a some wire on top as added protection. The bigger birds could see and hear the little ones, but could not get to them. After a few days I released a few of the bigger chicks and it went so well I released them all, and I now have a happy flock of 12 birds.

 

[silkwormlady]

I meant to write that they are 12-20 weeks old and not months. Does that make a difference? The remaining pullets are not yet laying, but the 2 new ones will be laying, and they are only 6-8 months old.

I have 4 olders (1 yr old - the BO hardly counts since she seems to want to be broody a lot and is in a nest a lot or a broody breaking box). The 3 Golden Comets are not keen on the little ones (10 pullets) and they are almost 2 separate flocks despite being raised see not touch around 10 weeks onward. The only real quarreling is at night over roosting. The 3 or 4 olders don't want to share an 8 foot roost!!

 

[SueT]

The only real quarreling is at night over roosting. The 3 or 4 olders don't want to share an 8 foot roost!!

If you have no room for an alternate roost or they refuse to use one, you can improvise a divider on your roost. . This one is made out of cardboard and held in place with zip ties and a bungee. I eventually replaced it with 1/8" plywood. I find the olders are very happy with the arrangement --as are the youngsters. They got it right away, and never go to the wrong side.

 

[olivigus]

I'm happy to report that our integration is going well. I've really appreciated all the advice and insights in this thread.

I've been propping open the gates to the separate pens enough for the youngsters to go back and forth but not enough to be an easy fit for the older girls. The four pullets have been going out and mixing with the flock in the day, although they stick pretty close together in a clump, often running away from the adults. I've been enjoying watching them mingle and so far nobody's made too much of a ruckus.

The one that picks on them the most is Dash, the RIR who's at the bottom of the pecking order. I can't really blame her--she must see a chance to move up a notch. The little group of three hatchlings, who are now 6 weeks old have also been coming out into the big run a bit in the day to explore, although for the most part they seem quite happy in their smaller pen by themselves. I think because they were raised by a hen they have more confidence and don't seem as skittish around the bigger chickens.

Yesterday the pullet gang of four discovered the hatchlings' pen and went in there to eat their food and chase them around. The hatchlings are all big flyers though, so they just went up onto the roof of their little coop to get away.

It's interesting having the three groups at different ages. Right now the hatchlings are a few weeks younger, so they are smaller and can be picked on by the other young ones. But they're catching up fast, especially the boys, so I think the little buff bully among the pullets is going to get some comeuppance one day soon.

They're all sticking with the coops they've been raised in when they go in at night. Any tips for how/when to move the newbies into the main coop? I think they'll happily stick with their own little coops forever unless I intervene at some point.

Should I just close off their mini-coops one evening when I can be there to watch that everyone finds her way into the big coop? Or would it be better for me to deliberately move the youngsters from their coops into the big one at night when they've all settled down? At the very least, I'd like to get all the young ones into the same smaller coop.

 

[wingedshade]

My integration has been going well too!
I had to put a small pen in the run for the roosters during the day. They aren't too bad, but they are a month or so older. Normal hen chasing seems to be a bit too rough on the youngsters. There are only two older pullets and they do sometimes hog the feeder, but for the most part they only peck the younger ones when someone get's in their personal space.

 

[silkwormlady]

Im

...

If you have no room for an alternate roost or they refuse to use one, you can improvise a divider on your roost. . This one is made out of cardboard and held in place with zip ties and a bungee. I eventually replaced it with 1/8" plywood. I find the olders are very happy with the arrangement --as are the youngsters. They got it right away, and never go to the wrong side. I'm so glad to see someone else improvising! I have a friend doing very "upscale" coop stuff... not me! I'm entirely with you, Sue T!! I did something quite similar. There's still some squabbling as they sort out the pecking order. To be expected

 

[sjturner79]

I'm happy to report that our integration is going well. I've really appreciated all the advice and insights in this thread.

I've been propping open the gates to the separate pens enough for the youngsters to go back and forth but not enough to be an easy fit for the older girls. The four pullets have been going out and mixing with the flock in the day, although they stick pretty close together in a clump, often running away from the adults. I've been enjoying watching them mingle and so far nobody's made too much of a ruckus.

The one that picks on them the most is Dash, the RIR who's at the bottom of the pecking order. I can't really blame her--she must see a chance to move up a notch. The little group of three hatchlings, who are now 6 weeks old have also been coming out into the big run a bit in the day to explore, although for the most part they seem quite happy in their smaller pen by themselves. I think because they were raised by a hen they have more confidence and don't seem as skittish around the bigger chickens. 

Yesterday the pullet gang of four discovered the hatchlings' pen and went in there to eat their food and chase them around. The hatchlings are all big flyers though, so they just went up onto the roof of their little coop to get away. 

It's interesting having the three groups at different ages. Right now the hatchlings are a few weeks younger, so they are smaller and can be picked on by the other young ones. But they're catching up fast, especially the boys, so I think the little buff bully among the pullets is going to get some comeuppance one day soon.

They're all sticking with the coops they've been raised in when they go in at night. Any tips for how/when to move the newbies into the main coop? I think they'll happily stick with their own little coops forever unless I intervene at some point. 

Should I just close off their mini-coops one evening when I can be there to watch that everyone finds her way into the big coop? Or would it be better for me to deliberately move the youngsters from their coops into the big one at night when they've all settled down? At the very least, I'd like to get all the young ones into the same smaller coop.

Close off the smallest mini coop one morning as soon as they are out of it for the day and see what happens at bed time.

 

[sunflour]

If you have no room for an alternate roost or they refuse to use one, you can improvise a divider on your roost. . This one is made out of cardboard and held in place with zip ties and a bungee. I eventually replaced it with 1/8" plywood. I find the olders are very happy with the arrangement --as are the youngsters. They got it right away, and never go to the wrong side.

That's a great idea

Thanks for sharing.

 

[silkwormlady]

I'll add that birds raised together will stay together in 'family' groups for a very long time.  Years, sometimes.  Mary

Yes. My oldest and younger (now laying) hens are pretty much 2 flocks. My problem is a Buff Orpington hen went broody on me ... and now the folders are not accepting her at all. She stays to herself, sometimes under the coop (wahn!) and only having a chance to boss the youngers when on the youngers' roost. The folders she was raised with won't even let her back on "their" roost. Suggestions? Let it be? Time heals all...