Advice on Integrating New Chicks?

[teriz1091]

Hello!
I have a trio of 2yr old hens. We recently moved & have more room, so we decided to add to the flock. We purchased 4 chicks from the feed store almost 7 weeks ago.

The chicks were kept inside for a couple weeks. We have since moved them outside to the big hens' pen. They are currently confined to a separate coop & have a wire dog crate attached as their outdoor space.

The pen is 10' x 15'. There are 2 small coops in it. The older hens free range during the day & put themselves to bed in the evening. I shut their pen at night.

When the babies are in their outdoor area, confined, the older hens ignore them, even when they come back to scratch around their pen before going to bed.

We have tried a few times to turn the babies loose in the larger pen with the older hens so they can start getting acquainted better. Every time an older hen sees a chick in the pen, they chase them & have pecked them a couple times. I know some of this is to be expected to establish pecking order, but this seems to be bullying. The older hens go out of their way to go after the little ones.

Any advice on how to make the introduction period go smoother? I have not tried turning the babies loose to free range yet. I'm worried they may not put themselves to bed like they should, or will wander too far. The big hens come when I call, but the babies aren't trained to that yet.

Any advice is appreciated! If pictures of anything would be helpful, I can take some tomorrow & upload them.

Thanks!

 

[Pork Pie]

You seem to on the right track. I'd suggest leaving it another couple of weeks before trying to introduce them physically. The chicks need to be sufficiently developed to be able to take a peck from an adult without suffering any injury.

This link should be helpful -
new-chickens-using-the-see-but-don-t-touch-method
Issues mentioned, relating to multiple feed stations, barriers and distractions should be particularly helpful. If there's a way that you can jig things to ensure that the chicks' coop / run is accessible only by the chicks, ie. access points too small for your adults to get through then it should help.

Here's a couple of other links that will provide additional suggestions:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1126547/topic-of-the-week-integrating-chicks-into-an-adult-flock

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1069595/introducing-chicks-to-adults#post_16276224

 

[aart]

Couple things you might try.
Spread some scratch grains along each side the fence that separates the main run from the chick run, this will help them get used to eating in close proximity. Even better if the fencing is the 2x4 welded wire as their heads can go thru.

Maybe put out feed and water in range area for the olders and let the youngers have the run(haha) of the whole run for part of the day. This will help break up the territoriality.

Here's my integration notes, something in there might help.
Multiple feed/water stations and hiding places especially.

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.