5 New Birds to be Integrated to existing flock of 18

[Mrs. K]

so how is it going?

 

[Ted Brown]

Took me awhile to move forward on this, mostly trying to think through what my end result should be and avoiding the winter weather. I have kept the five Chanteclers in a separate cage inside my workshop for the duration.

I am now integrating albeit with a change of plans.

• I moved the five Chanteclers into small cages where they stayed 24 hours.
• I moved the cage out of the garage and up onto a 5 foot high metal scaffold (predator deterrence).
• I changed the bedding in the cage - old to the compost and new straw to the cage.
• I removed my original rooster and cockerel from the coop to the cage.
• I moved the five Chanteclers in with my original 16 hens/pullets without a "caged look/see" process.

My next step is to build a separate 12' by 12' pole shed with bachelor/breeding/brooder cages housed underneath. Cages will be 8' by 8' by 6' high with a removable centre panel allowing for one large bachelor or two breeding/brooding spaces; cages will have semi enclosed roosting areas. I will "fence" in the north, east and west sides of the pole shed to shelter the cages; the south side will remain open.

 

[aart]

I moved the five Chanteclers in with my original 16 hens/pullets without a "caged look/see" process.

How did that go?

 

[Ted Brown]

How did that go?

Still going.

I did the move yesterday, closed the pop door and let the 5 Chantecler into the coop for the day on their own.

I opened the pop door late afternoon and checked as it got dark. The 5 Chanteclers were huddled on the floor in the front, the main flock all up on the roosts. I will give them some time and move them after dark as needed.

I had removed the Barred Rock cockerel, my six Barred Rock pullets appeared confused as they were the first to re-enter the coop and seemed to be looking around for the cockerel.

The rooster and cockerel are unhappy.

So far no fighting that I have see.

I will update over the next few days.

 

[Ted Brown]

The cage that is the temporary bachelor pad.

 

[Ted Brown]

I got food, water and a tarp to shield from the sun into and on the cage). The boys are getting settled but wondering where their harem has gone.

In the coop/run so far all is calm. Birds are mixing without fights, the first Chantecler egg was laid in the nest box (in the cage they laid in a corner on the floor) in one of the least used boxes.

 

[Ted Brown]

The Chanteclers did not use the roosts again last night. They stayed together around a 20" high log section with 1 or 2 on top. Tonight after dark I will move them to the roosts.

So far there have been no fights the Chantecler cockerel is a big bird and defends his four ladies, the rest seem to have realized they are under a new master.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The Chanteclers did not use the roosts again last night. They stayed together around a 20" high log section with 1 or 2 on top. Tonight after dark I will move them to the roosts.

So far there have been no fights the Chantecler cockerel is a big bird and defends his four ladies, the rest seem to have realized they are under a new master.

Personally I don't care where mine sleep during integration (or any other time really) as long as it is not in my nests and is predator safe. And they are doing it peacefully. I don't see the advantage of messing with something that is working when they will move to the roosts when they are ready. With mine that is often about the time the pullets start laying.
I did put up a juvenile roost, horizontally separated from the main roost by a few feet, noticeably lower than my main roosts, and higher than the nests. I let them find their own way to this roost when they are ready to start roosting but are still afraid of the adults. It's how I keep them out of my nests when they are ready to roost on their own.

 

[Ted Brown]

The five had a roost in the cage and used it from the time I got them (early January). My guess is they are intimidated by the 16 other birds.

 

[Ted Brown]

The 5 Chanteclers have, so far (4th day), not gone out into the run.

The original flock usually are in the run very early in the morning and spend most of their time there; run has a metal roof and is tarped during the winter, pop door is open 24/7.

I am not concerned, assume they will go out when they are ready but do find it strange. I should also say that the Chantecler pullets (June 2022 hatch) have stopped laying. Guessing that the move into the coop has upset their rhythm.