A long integration...

[chickpeasoup]

I have 2 hens and 2 chicks and this has been a rough integration. The little ones are terrified of the big girls, I wonder if they'll ever get along. First off the little ones were in a see no-touch situation for a month. The babies are about 8 weeks old, still too small to take a punch so they are only allowed with the big girls during free range time. During free range time there is so much space they hardly cross paths. However one of my big girls will chase them if she sees them, luckily there is a ton of space the little ones can run away before getting the beat down. Once free range time is over they go to their separate pens until free range time the next day. One month of no touch and so far a week of this free range time. I hope people here can tell me what I can do better for the chickens, and if I'm doing anything wrong. I figured I should just be patient with this integration.

 

[Ebony Rose]

Are they sleeping in the same coop, with the little ones in some sort of 'safe' place, cage, brooder, etc? If not, and if possible, get them into the same coop, even if they're penned somehow. After a week or so, you should see much better results in the 'free range' phase of integration.

 

[Mrs. K]

In the run/coop make a one way gate into a safety zone. With your patience, you are controlling this, and it is a mostly stop, start over, stop, start over type of game.

If you create a safety zone in the coop/run you want them to live in, they will deal with it 24/7 and they will deal with it on their terms. For a day or two, set it up (you might have it set up like this now) so that this is a safe spot, with feed and water where as the big girls cannot get them.

Then create one way gates, where as the chicks can get through, but the big girls can't. Turn your big girls out of the pen, and wait for your chicks to come out, it might take a while. Then mildly chase them back to the safe zone, so they get the idea. Then bring you big girls back in.

As for one way gates, I have seen where the entire fence line is just lifted up 3-4 inches, or cement blocks placed on their side so the chicks can go through the openings. Or pallets lined up horizontally, or make openings in the wire. Just make sure they can get under it and not trapped out of it.

Keep food and water inside the safe zone for a while. When I do this, the chicks go just a little ways out, and retreat, then a little farther, and retreat on their terms. The big girls get used to them much faster when they are there all the time.

Mrs K

 

[chickpeasoup]

In the run/coop make a one way gate into a safety zone. With your patience, you are controlling this, and it is a mostly stop, start over, stop, start over type of game.

If you create a safety zone in the coop/run you want them to live in, they will deal with it 24/7 and they will deal with it on their terms. For a day or two, set it up (you might have it set up like this now) so that this is a safe spot, with feed and water where as the big girls cannot get them.

Then create one way gates, where as the chicks can get through, but the big girls can't. Turn your big girls out of the pen, and wait for your chicks to come out, it might take a while. Then mildly chase them back to the safe zone, so they get the idea. Then bring you big girls back in.

As for one way gates, I have seen where the entire fence line is just lifted up 3-4 inches, or cement blocks placed on their side so the chicks can go through the openings. Or pallets lined up horizontally, or make openings in the wire. Just make sure they can get under it and not trapped out of it.

Keep food and water inside the safe zone for a while. When I do this, the chicks go just a little ways out, and retreat, then a little farther, and retreat on their terms. The big girls get used to them much faster when they are there all the time.

Mrs K

I have some hiding boxes in the making, but they're not quite finished yet. I've been pretty scared of putting the little ones in the run because they're only 8 weeks and my girls are heavy 7 pounders. The run is about 100sqft, does that seem big enough for my 4 birds and for providing hiding places? I can always add more space.

 

[Ebony Rose]

I usually start integrating mine at 4 weeks with the "look, don't touch" (dog crate in the big girls coop). After about a week, they get supervised free range time with the big girls; usually only takes a time or two, and when things look good I remove the dog crate from the coop and spend a couple evenings rounding up the little ones at dusk and putting them to bed until they realize that's 'home'.

 

[Mrs. K]

You need a place that the chicks can escape to that the big girls cannot follow. You need hide outs, and mini walls, roosts, and platforms in your run. Cluttered up, lets birds get out of sight, makes the coop/run more interesting.

If the big girls are that much bigger it should be easy to set up a safety zone.

 

[aart]

I integrate chicks early too.....but I think you're doing fine with the situation you have.
Just let it continue as is, they can sleep in separate coops for now.
As long as the chicks are getting enough to eat and no one is being bloodied.
Not that long really, it takes time.

Pics of your coops and runs might garner more specific suggestions.