adding little ones to main coop

[Amay89]

hi, we where told by a cousin that has had chicken also to wait until they are all the same size before putting together new chickens to the older ones.

We’ve ordered some baby chicks and they are now prolly 3-4 months. We’ve brought them in the cage in another one smaller separated from the other chickens.

We had to double fence it because the hens would peck at the feathers sticking out.

So now my question, being so different in size how long do we have to wait before introducing them in the main area? They have been in there I want to say maybe 1-2 weeks now. They don’t seem to pay them as much attention as they used to. Should I remove one fencing around the cage? Then go from there or just let them loose or wait till they grow some more?

 

[lazy gardener]

Many of us have found that it is much easier to integrate youngsters while they are still peeps. I start integrating at 3 - 4 weeks, and have integration completed well before chicks are 9 weeks old. The youngsters are not perceived to be a threat to the pecking order when you do it at an earlier age.

Now that your youngsters are so much bigger, you'll not be able to do the "panic room" set up that @azygous has linked to her signature. But, you will be able to use many of her other suggestions. Be sure you have lots of room: more than the minimum recommendation of 4 s.f. in coop and 10 s.f. in run per bird. set up multiple feeding stations. Give them plenty of "out of sight, but not dead end" and multiple height areas to duck under or stand on top of. Give them plenty to do. If you can't let them free range, then open a bale of hay and let them shred that in the coop or run. Start by giving them scratch grains at the fence line so they can eat "together" while still separated by the fence. Finally, don't panic, and don't intervene unless there is relentless pursuit, ganging up and blood shed. Let them work out their pecking order drama. You do more harm than good by continually intervening.

 

[RWise]

Mine go from bator to outdoor brood house at 3-5 days old. My big girls are very curious at this point and come pay their first visit to them.There they can see but not be touched by the hens. When they start roosting they go to the main hen house/coop (about 5 weeks old). I put in an area the big birds cannot go in, but the littles can, like 3"x3" fencing with food for them in it (may need to cover). Also extra water source for them, though I put that where all can get to it. I move them at night, it is easier for me.
Last batch went like this, first.morning, I open the coop just before day light, and watch. They come out, and the chicks are picking at the grass, the oldest girl goes over and introduces herself to them. Yep she walked right up to one and it stood its ground, she pecked it, it moved away. She did this with another, and it moved away. She them turned to another and they all moved away, they now know how the boss bird is!
The rooster watched her closely, and I think he would have got on to her if she went to far.
Most of the girls pay them no attention, some will range with them, and they know which is which. They range further every day.
For me its get them out there ASAP, a moma hen would have them in the flock at 2-3 days old.

 

[Amay89]

Thanks for your answer. I have a rooster and three turkeys in there as well. Two of my females are brooding everything and anything so they hardly get out of the coop. But my male still goes around. Last couple chickens we introduced he went after them pretty good. Size difference size would you think it has any difference since that turkey can pretty much sit on them and kill them‍

Is it’s still the same introducing rule conscidering there’s more then chickens in the coop?

 

[lazy gardener]

You are going to have to figure out the answer to your last question! I've not yet dealt with turkeys, so can't weigh in here. You might want to ask a specific question, start a thread about that on the turkey forum.

 

[Amay89]

Ok thank you!

 

[aart]

I too have started brooding in the coop 1 week after hatch,
then integrating at 4-6 weeks, it works great but takes some setup.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

And I still follow these 'rules of thumb'....
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

 

[Amay89]

WE HAVe little turkey growing with The chicks, I’m assuming it’s the same principal to introduce them?thanks for your answer really appreciate it

 

[aart]

WE HAVe little turkey growing with The chicks, I’m assuming it’s the same principal to introduce them?thanks for your answer really appreciate it

Not sure my 'tiny door' technique would work with a poult in the group because they are probably bigger than chicks. I have no experience with poults but might think that a single poult could raise other issues. Best to ask in the Turkey Forum.

 

[Amay89]

It should be fine! Thank you, hubs brought that up yesterday when I told him about your guys technique. He was kinda iffy since the grown turkey are an issue then the small one are prolly gonna get ganged on by the others . I don’t think it would be an issue at all, we bought the turkeys they where 4-5 months old and introduced them no issue what so ever, if we bring them in with chicks I’m sure they’ll be good, we have some pretty hard to get chickens, here anyways. So he’s worried about just letting them be