8 week old chicks ready for full contact with adults?

[Skyleen13]

I’ve got 13 full grown hens & 2 roosters. I’ve now got 12 pullets that are 8 weeks old. They’ve been out in their own coop without heat for last week. Contact with adults through fence all day long for last week & a half. Unless the teenagers have food the adults want then their ignoring each other. Is it now safe for me to let the teenagers in with the adults? I’ve got some branches to break up the run, a large tree grown in the middle with lots of perches, & 2 food & water stations.

 

[Mrs. K]

Throw some pallets in there, leaned against a wall, propped up on some low blocks.

Then, while this sounds like a lot of monkeying around, I would flip them. I would put the chicks where I have the adults, and put the adults where I have the chicks. Or I would let the adults out to range and lock them out of the coop/run for the day. Letting the chicks explore the new area, without being chased. Then letting the older birds in as close to dark as you dare.

I have had good results with this technique when introducing new birds.

The pullets will be a sub flock, until they begin to lay. But the older girls should not be killing them.

Mrs K

 

[Skyleen13]

Throw some pallets in there, leaned against a wall, propped up on some low blocks.

Then, while this sounds like a lot of monkeying around, I would flip them. I would put the chicks where I have the adults, and put the adults where I have the chicks. Or I would let the adults out to range and lock them out of the coop/run for the day. Letting the chicks explore the new area, without being chased. Then letting the older birds in as close to dark as you dare.

I have had good results with this technique when introducing new birds.

The pullets will be a sub flock, until they begin to lay. But the older girls should not be killing them.

Mrs K

Thank you! I’ll try that out tomorrow.

 

[Skyleen13]

Throw some pallets in there, leaned against a wall, propped up on some low blocks.

Then, while this sounds like a lot of monkeying around, I would flip them. I would put the chicks where I have the adults, and put the adults where I have the chicks. Or I would let the adults out to range and lock them out of the coop/run for the day. Letting the chicks explore the new area, without being chased. Then letting the older birds in as close to dark as you dare.

I have had good results with this technique when introducing new birds.

The pullets will be a sub flock, until they begin to lay. But the older girls should not be killing them.

Mrs K

It worked great! All are safely integrated into the flock now. I had to help them figure out where the coop was last night but other then my little cockerel trying to pick fights with every hen in the run they’re doing great. He even tried to pick a fight with my roosters! He’s spunky. As soon as the adults fluffed up in response he’s “chickened out” & ran for it. A couple hens chased him down & put him in his place but the roosters only postured. No blood. Babies even snuggled up with one of my roosters in the coop!

 

[Sally PB]

Yay!

Keep an eye on things for a bit, but it sounds like everything went very well!

 

[Skyleen13]

Yay!

Keep an eye on things for a bit, but it sounds like everything went very well!

Thanks again!

 

[Skyleen13]

Yay!

Keep an eye on things for a bit, but it sounds like everything went very well!

Everyone is doing great now. Still have to put the babies away at night because the adults don’t always let them come in with them when they go to bed. The teenagers want to be up on the roosts with them but the adults don’t want them there so the babies are nesting down in the fluff of the coop.

 

[Sally PB]

The teenagers want to be up on the roosts with them but the adults don’t want them there so the babies are nesting down in the fluff of the coop.

Can you put in a second roost that is lower than the big birds' roost? The littles could learn how to roost at night, but not be a challenge to the big girls. Roost height = flock status. Higher roost, higher in the pecking order.

 

[Skyleen13]

Can you put in a second roost that is lower than the big birds' roost? The littles could learn how to roost at night, but not be a challenge to the big girls. Roost height = flock status. Higher roost, higher in the pecking order.

They’ve got 2 other roosting bars they can use that’s lower down but they don’t use them. They prefer to snuggle together in front of the nesting boxes. I guess they’re still a bit chilly at night but they’re having no problems staying warm that way. No one is chilly or cold in the morning. All make a mad dash for the feeders when I let them out. I’ve got 3 feeders out there to better ensure the adults aren’t food guarding.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Congratulations on what sounds like success. My definition of a successful integration is that no one gets hurt. All that other stuff about them becoming one big happy flock hanging together and roosting together will come as they mature. Be patient and let them work that out at their pace.

My brooder raised chicks often don't sleep on the roosts art night until they are 10 to 12 weeks old. They may play on them during the day but don't actually sleep there until older. Until then they sleep in a group on the coop floor. Not because they are cold, they just like the company.

Mine usually don't sleep on the main roosts with the adults until they are quite a bit older. I have a "juvenile roost" that is lower than the main roosts, higher than the nests, and separated horizontally from the main roosts where they like to sleep until they mature enough to join the adults. I don't care where my juveniles sleep as long as it is predator safe and not in the nests. Nobody gets hurt and I don't have any stress about it. How could life get any better?