Advice needed on integration plan options

[NHMountainMan]

Most poultry netting is not meant to hold chickens in, but keep predators out.
How big are the holes in the netting?

Good point! The bottom foot is 2"w x 1"h. Then the top 3' is 3"x3". So far, no issues. Lots of food and water stations in each ring, but for the most part they're feasting in grasshoppers.

 

[NHMountainMan]

Update : I've had the 5 new pullets ranging within a 100x 100 area, returning to their grow out coop. Usually on top rather than inside.

The 3 older pullets range with a fence in area about 200x200 that surrounds the younger birds. I've been feeding them at the fence line so they get close to each other- though mostly they are chasing an absurd number of grasshoppers.

Today I opened the smaller fence so the birds can mingle. No issues so far.

My thought is to allow this for another few days.

Then - should I place the younger birds in the coop at night?

Take away the grow out coop and see if they follow the older ones into the coop?

Keep one group locked in the coop and the other in the run door a few days?

I know there isn't only one answer but would love to hear your thoughts

Thanks

 

[aart]

I've had the 5 new pullets ranging within a 100x 100 area, returning to their grow out coop. Usually on top rather than inside.

The 3 older pullets range with a fence in area about 200x200 that surrounds the younger birds. I've been feeding them at the fence line so they get close to each other- though mostly they are chasing an absurd number of grasshoppers.

How old in weeks are these birds?
How long have they been in this scenario?
I assume each area has it's own coop?
Have you been putting youngers inside their coop after dark?
A pic showing all of this would be great.

My thought is to allow this for another few days.

I'd leave as is for at least a week.
Is coop big enough for all the birds?

Might swap the places, so youngers can get a feel for the bigger coop without harassment.

 

[NHMountainMan]

The 3 older chicks are 23 weeks and laying. The coop is 8'Lx6'W and 6'H (9' at peak) I reconfigured the interior with poop boards 6" beneath the roosting bars with 12 linear feet of roosting bars.
The 5 younger pullets are 12 weeks old. About 2 weeks ago I snuck them into the coop at night. The next day the older birds attacked one of the young ones. I removed all 5 younger ones and put them back in the grow out coop (a chicken tractor)
I set up the electric netting, ring within ring on Saturday- 5 days ago. I opened the inner fence and they mingled all day today with no issues.
I'll get pictures tomorrow a.m.

 

[aart]

Ah, hard to deny access to the coop for layers.
I'd just leave them to 'range' together for a few weeks...
...see if the youngers wander into the coop on their own.

 

[NHMountainMan]

Ah, hard to deny access to the coop for layers.
I'd just leave them to 'range' together for a few weeks...
...see if the youngers wander into the coop on their own.

Sounds like you're saying I should be patient. Not a strong point of mine. But I'm learning...

 

[aart]

Sounds like you're saying I should be patient. Not a strong point of mine. But I'm learning...

Yeah, chickens can teach you patience.....or not.
You've got to give them time to adjust to changes,
you can't really 'force' them to do anything,
but you can set up strong suggestions working with their natures/instincts.
Which takes time....and patience... to learn.

 

[NHMountainMan]

Update: integration complete. After joint ranging for a few days, 2 of the 12 week olds pullets followed the older girls into their coop. The next night, I added another by mo from the grow out coop to roosting bar in the full coop. The next day, the final 2 pullets followed the rest into the coop for the night. So- my worry was unnecessary- they more or less integrated themselves. Just in time for our first hard frost 25 degrees last night! “Winter is coming”

 

[ScottyGill]

That's great. My little ones followed the others in after 2 days but they're still not roosting. However they are learning fast and they were all roosting all by themselves in their brooder box and do it outside all over the place so I'm not going to worry. I just go have a wee peek at night. It took the first lot a week to get up on their roost bars.