Transition of chicks into flock

[debid]

There are just so many variables...

I brood outdoors in a side-by-side arrangement and supervised, shared range time starts when they're tiny (the first nice day when they're roughly two weeks). They don't go far and the hens don't even seem to regard them as chickens yet. I wish that I had the two pens connected... Anyway, they'll gradually expand their comfort zone and start venturing into the adult house/run. I'll then close them in with the adults and a good scattering of corn so they aren't the main focus and observe. That's how I determine whether they're ready. I want to see them solve it when they're pecked with a short run or hop up rather than extreme panic and I want to see the hens not chase them when they run away.

They've just hit 12 weeks and are in with the big girls full-time now. We're pretty close to done but they haven't wanted to roost in the coop yet. I added a nightlight and am hoping not to have to put chicks on the roost in the dark tonight...

 

[Ridgerunner]

I have 8 month old australorps and 6 week old wyandottes. How long until we can integrate the 2 groups.

I agree, there are just so many variables. How much room do you have in your various coops and runs? Have you housed them side by side for any length of time so they are not strangers to each other? Some will depend on the personality of the individual of the individual chickens, young and old.

Right now I have 6 week olds, 15 week olds, and adults ranging together and sharing one coop. I have a broody hen on eggs that will hatch at the end of the month. It's a big coop with hiding places and lots of space outside. They've been ranging together for three weeks, since the broody hen weaned them when the babies were only three weeks old. They've all grown up together. Age is one variable but how much room you have, the quality of that room (hiding places), how you manage them, and just plain luck with personalities has a lot to do with it. if I had mine in a 4square feet in the coop plus 10 square feet in the run I'd probably have to change the way I manage them.

 

[poultrymaster]

Funny this thread started today as my daughter has been bugging me to ask for some advice from the experts on backyard chickens! We have 3 hens (1 year old) and now 3 pullets that are about 8 weeks old. I built a 4' x 8' A frame addition for the new chickens that is attached to the old coop. Old coop is 8' x 4', and the hens roost in an extra 2.5' x 4' "roost room" with two 4' long roosts, plus a run for a few hours each day, so plenty of space. The roost is on the side opposite the A-frame. The pullets have been next to the coop about 2 weeks, last week I added a small door so they can mingle with the hens but escape to their A frame mini-coop. They don't seem to be in a hurry to integrate and one hen pecks and chases, but that's fine we have all summer for them to figure it out. Anyway, here is my issue: this week, the pullets started fighting over roosting space on a tiny crossbar in the A-frame. I have a roosting bar I can put in the A-frame, but if the pullets get used to it, will they refuse to roost with the other hens when they get older? That will be an issue in winter, as the "roost room" is much more sheltered, my hens did fine there all winter last year, so they really all need to roost there together. So wondering if I'm better off leaving only one roost option so my second flock doesn't form a habit that will be hard to break this fall. I figure option 1 is don't put the roost bar in the A frame at all, or option 2 is put it in and probably have to remove it in the fall to force the new hens to roost with the older ones. I will add, the roosting bars in the "roost room" are both a little higher than the one in the A-frame. Advice?

 

[Ridgerunner]

First, don't force them. As you said, they have plenty of time to figure it out. That goes for roosting too. Until those pullets mature enough to force their way into the pecking order, usually around when they start to lay, they will probably be afraid of the adults and sort of form a sub-flock, avoiding the adults most of the time. Once they mature enough they'll merge into one flock, but even then they may at times hang separately.

Until they force their way into the flock, it is a good thing for them to roost separately. Mine can be pretty brutal to immature chicks on the roosts. It's a pecking order thing. The flock will be a lot more peaceful is they sleep separately until they work that out. You're seeing how your pullets squabble and fight over roosting space, that's normal by the way. It's worse between adults and immature chickens. I'd put that roosting bar up now.

it's possible when the young ones mature enough, they'll move in with the older hens. it's possible they won't. Personally I'd be patient and see if they work it out on their own, mine often do. If you are confident they are fully integrated you can lock them out of that A-frame and see what they do. Or, after dark, lock them in with the older hens until the next morning. I do this often, it's not a hard habit too break if you have adequate roosting room and you don't force them until they are fully integrated.

I'm not sure how they will work it out, that roost room might be a bit small for six hens, maybe not. But that's another issue.

 

[debid]

You can't have too many roosts! Forcing them to move in can be luring them through the door with treats in the main area and then closing the door behind them so they can't sleep in the A frame. I'm a soft touch so I did increments of time until they were spending the whole day in the big run and only sleeping in their house. That was followed by leaving them with the big girls until dark and then physically moving any chicks that didn't roost in the right place.

 

[poultrymaster]

Thanks for your thoughts! This concern comes from some coop renovations I made last year, the hens were in a very small roost on one side and a built a nice, larger, new roost on the other side and they all just flat out refused to sleep there. I gave up after a couple weeks of trying to get them to move and just replaced the smaller roost with the "roost room". They are not cramped, I've got two 2 x 4s about 8" apart each 4 ft long in there, with about 11" from each bar to the wall. And the 3 hens of course all cram together on one end so there is plenty of space for the pullets. So anyway after total failure last year to get the hens to move to a new roost...it makes me really hesitate to put one up knowing the pullets can't stay there! I won't force them to sleep with the older hens but without their own nighttime roost, it seems they will be more likely to go to the right one on their own when they are ready. I think I might compromise and put the roost bar on the ground, then they can still roost but the higher roost with the other hens will be more appealing and hopefully they will move over there before winter! I'm in Michigan so it is COLD and I have an unheated coop so they really can't stay in the one in the A-frame.

 

[msswede1]

There are just so many variables...

I brood outdoors in a side-by-side arrangement and supervised, shared range time starts when they're tiny (the first nice day when they're roughly two weeks). They don't go far and the hens don't even seem to regard them as chickens yet. I wish that I had the two pens connected... Anyway, they'll gradually expand their comfort zone and start venturing into the adult house/run. I'll then close them in with the adults and a good scattering of corn so they aren't the main focus and observe. That's how I determine whether they're ready. I want to see them solve it when they're pecked with a short run or hop up rather than extreme panic and I want to see the hens not chase them when they run away.

They've just hit 12 weeks and are in with the big girls full-time now. We're pretty close to done but they haven't wanted to roost in the coop yet. I added a nightlight and am hoping not to have to put chicks on the roost in the dark tonight...

Ok. I wasn't clear. We keep them in separate pens. My husband lets each out (free range) separately. Do we need to keep them separate when they are outside?

 

[debid]

Ok. I wasn't clear. We keep them in separate pens. My husband lets each out (free range) separately. Do we need to keep them separate when they are outside?

Nope. Running around outside is the safest way for them to meet.

 

[Beatrice&Maple]

I had two chicks, and I let them free range with their mother. She took very good care of them.

 

[Whittni]

My 17 assorted "chicks" are about 6/7 weeks old. I have put them in the main coop, in a separate pen for 2 weeks now. The chick pen is moved outside in the grass during the day and returned at night. Today is the first day of releasing them free in the main coop area. My established flock consists of a rooster and 3 hens. Should I introduce the established flock to the younger ones face to face, with no protection of the chick pen? And when should I leave the main coop area gate open so the new chicks can free range?I am afraid of hawks and other predators (cats, fox) I guess I should wait until they are bigger?

Yes, they need the fence for a week or two so the older flock can get used to your new babies. You are right to wait to free range, as the chicks are extremely vulnerable at this age.