Adding to the flock

[Kyn Garcia]

So, I have a flock of 5 adult hens, 4 Easter Eggers & a white leghorn. I recently decided to add to the flock & got 4 baby chicks, they are around 11 weeks old now.. 2 New Hampshire Reds, which have turned out to both be cockerels. The other two are pullets, an Australorp & a Silver Easter Egger. I don’t have their coops right next to each other but my big girls free range during the day & they’ll stop by the little ones to see what’s going on when they see us in their coop. When they were really small I’ve let them all out at the same time a few times & my big girls wanted nothing to do with them, they weren’t mean they just wanted nothing at all to do with them. I do not plan on keeping the roosters. My big girls are my first ever flock/first ever time being around chickens, we’ve had them for a little over a year. We did have a rooster for a very short time, he was full grown when we got him. I felt that he made my girls very jumpy and he kept drawing blood on my leghorns comb, she’s the leader of my flock and she wasn’t pleased to have him around from jump. So that experience is why I don’t think I’m going to keep either of the cockerels, I don’t wanna deal with a rooster beating up on my girls. But my question is, should I integrate the 4 of my little ones with my big girls, are they old enough, or should I wait until I don’t have the two roosters and integrate the two pullets when that time comes. I feel like my two pullets could benefit from being with my big girls cause they are very calm and love to be in my lap or wherever I am they want to be, they trust us, they come running the second they see me walk out the door, as where my two pullets are very skittish and unsure of us.. they are just the total opposite of what my big girls were and still are today so I’m wondering if maybe this is from them being raised with two cockerels whom can be aggressive with each other & them at times. Remember, I said I’ve only been raising chickens for a little over a year so I could be absolutely wrong and this is just the way they are and will always be. Lol I value you guys’ advice and input, I come here with all my questions and I usually make my decisions based off of the feedback I get from y’all so I am opened to whatever advice you guys have for me! Thanks a bunch! I added a pic of my big girls, my most spoiled girl, & my little ones just for fun.

 

[rosemarythyme]

When they were really small I’ve let them all out at the same time a few times & my big girls wanted nothing to do with them, they weren’t mean they just wanted nothing at all to do with them.

Wish you'd just let them stay together at that point, they were already integrating just fine.

What happens now when you let the younger ones out?

 

[Kyn Garcia]

Wish you'd just let them stay together at that point, they were already integrating just fine.

What happens now when you let the younger ones out?

Well they were never together, I would have my big girls free ranging in the yard and I would sit in the yard with the babies too. So they’d be out at the same time and my big girls didn’t want anything to do with them but they had the free range to choose not to have anything to do with them. They’ve never been in a coop together but I had read somewhere to absolutely never leave babies with older chickens unless one of your hens hatched the babies so I didn’t think that was an option but I wonder if they would’ve done better at that time when they were smaller?? Cause now I guess since they’re bigger my leghorn feels the need to be mean to them but my Easter Eggers still don’t seem to care about them. So I let them out yesterday and my Easter Eggers just watched them for a second and went on about their day but my leghorn slowly got closer and closer. She got by one of the little roosters and pecked him twice but it didn’t seem like she did it very hard and she slowly did it and he quickly got out her way so in my head I was like well if that’s all she’s gonna do maybe they’ll be alright.. well then she swiftly turned around and looked like she bit but she may have pecked one of the pullets. She was way rougher with that one. I hurried up and picked her up (my leghorn) and removed her from by them, I didn’t coop her up I just put her by her coop away from the little ones and she didn’t try to come back to where they were. So they are definitely old enough to start trying to put them with my big girls or is it not really about age and more about how the older ones react to having them around?

 

[rosemarythyme]

I had read somewhere to absolutely never leave babies with older chickens unless one of your hens hatched the babies so I didn’t think that was an option but I wonder if they would’ve done better at that time when they were smaller??

is it not really about age and more about how the older ones react to having them around?

I know it doesn't work for everyone and all situations, but I integrate very early - it takes advantage of the fact that younger chicks are less threatening to adults, and their tiny size and agility makes it easier for them to evade adult attacks. My last batch of chicks were brooded in the run and had full day time access to coop and run at 15 days old. By 4 weeks they were with the adults 24/7. So yes human brooded chicks can be integrated in just as early as hen brooded ones.

15 days old, that is NOT mom, first face to face meeting and neither the hen nor chicks are bothered by it:

For you, I would continue moving forward with integration of the entire group as it's more advantageous to add all four youngsters vs two pullets later. As long as none of the adults are attacking to the point of injury or to the point of preventing the youngsters from eating and drinking, I'd consider it a success - it is normal for them to chase or peck them to some degree. Expect the youngsters to remain as a subflock (which will continue to point of lay, and maybe a bit past that). When the cockerels are going to be rehomed just remove them at that point, and hopefully the pullets will feel safe enough around the adults at that point to not cause issue.

 

[Kyn Garcia]

I know it doesn't work for everyone and all situations, but I integrate very early - it takes advantage of the fact that younger chicks are less threatening to adults, and their tiny size and agility makes it easier for them to evade adult attacks. My last batch of chicks were brooded in the run and had full day time access to coop and run at 15 days old. By 4 weeks they were with the adults 24/7. So yes human brooded chicks can be integrated in just as early as hen brooded ones.

15 days old, that is NOT mom, first face to face meeting and neither the hen nor chicks are bothered by it:
View attachment 3570717

For you, I would continue moving forward with integration of the entire group as it's more advantageous to add all four youngsters vs two pullets later. As long as none of the adults are attacking to the point of injury or to the point of preventing the youngsters from eating and drinking, I'd consider it a success - it is normal for them to chase or peck them to some degree. Expect the youngsters to remain as a subflock (which will continue to point of lay, and maybe a bit past that). When the cockerels are going to be rehomed just remove them at that point, and hopefully the pullets will feel safe enough around the adults at that point to not cause issue.

I am so glad I talked to you! Thank you so so much! Sometimes I still feel like I’m not sure Ik what I’m doing and all my friends (who either don’t have chickens or just started a couple months ago) make me feel like I’m worrying over things that don’t matter or I’m babying my chickens to much. There like just put them together they’ll be fine eventually they’re chickens. Lol but thank you, you’ve been really informative!