What I have found very effective is a safety zone that turns into a one way gate. I use a dog crate and a bit fencing. I put mine to bed in the crate so they get used to sleeping there.
Then I set up a pen in the run, usually in a corner. The first one I used was lattice panels or woven wire. Dog crate goes in, open crate, shut safety zone. 2-3 days. Water and feed are in the zone. Chicks can't get out, hens can't get in. Everyone can see each other.
At night, chicks go into dog crate, shut dog crate, set in coop. Take out in the morning, back in saftey zone.
3-4 days later. Lift up the fence, just a couple of inches off the ground. Sit down there until someone gets brave and wanders out. Give a little mock chase, so they escape back into the safety zone. Then you can leave. The fence lifted off the ground, is not high enough for the bigger birds to get in, but the chicks can run through it like water. Gives them a safe place. Cement blocks set on their side, so the opening is exposed will work, a pallet set on top of cement blocks low to the ground will work. Anything a chick can run through, and a chicken cannot is a one way gate.
The thing I like about this, is this is in the chicks control, not people control. Chicks can explore and learn chicken society on their terms and that of their elders, not people controlling it. Once you see them interacting out an about among the chickens, then you are done. That night take the crate into the coop, but leave the door open. And the chicks will come on out on their own and within days, go back to the coop on their own.
On a side note, I do have hideouts all over my run, I have roosts, and multiple feeders and waters. I set the feeders up so that a bird cannot see another bird eating at a different feeder. Birds can not see all of the other birds all the time.
But this works for me. I have used it several times, and the chicks grow up with the hens. Much more healthy than a brooder, more space, more fresh air, more exercise.
Mrs K
Then I set up a pen in the run, usually in a corner. The first one I used was lattice panels or woven wire. Dog crate goes in, open crate, shut safety zone. 2-3 days. Water and feed are in the zone. Chicks can't get out, hens can't get in. Everyone can see each other.
At night, chicks go into dog crate, shut dog crate, set in coop. Take out in the morning, back in saftey zone.
3-4 days later. Lift up the fence, just a couple of inches off the ground. Sit down there until someone gets brave and wanders out. Give a little mock chase, so they escape back into the safety zone. Then you can leave. The fence lifted off the ground, is not high enough for the bigger birds to get in, but the chicks can run through it like water. Gives them a safe place. Cement blocks set on their side, so the opening is exposed will work, a pallet set on top of cement blocks low to the ground will work. Anything a chick can run through, and a chicken cannot is a one way gate.
The thing I like about this, is this is in the chicks control, not people control. Chicks can explore and learn chicken society on their terms and that of their elders, not people controlling it. Once you see them interacting out an about among the chickens, then you are done. That night take the crate into the coop, but leave the door open. And the chicks will come on out on their own and within days, go back to the coop on their own.
On a side note, I do have hideouts all over my run, I have roosts, and multiple feeders and waters. I set the feeders up so that a bird cannot see another bird eating at a different feeder. Birds can not see all of the other birds all the time.
But this works for me. I have used it several times, and the chicks grow up with the hens. Much more healthy than a brooder, more space, more fresh air, more exercise.
Mrs K
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