And so it begins... integration

[Lor]

While reading your thread on integrating I started thinking what have igotten myself into.

I love a mixed flock with the different colors and patterns. You will have a beautiful flock regardless of what they turn out to be.

As for integrating, it sounds like you're off to a good start. I'd start getting the littlest chicks outside for a bit near the others so they can see each other, even if only for an hour a day (weather permitting).

I've read many posts where the integration went well and didn't take as long as it is here. I think my hens are just stubborn. LOL We've had some progress, thank God.
I wish you the best!

 

[Lor]

Update:
Last night my husband decided to try to get the chicks in the coop and on a roost. Wouldn't you know they all went up into the coop on their own? And they stayed on the roost! He said he doesn't know why I was having such a problem.

I know they are afraid of the big girls which was causing the problem. They also seemed to like the Bigs roost which doesn't go over well. Peep had some buff feathers in her mouth at one point. I thought they might like the other roost due to it being flat where their roost is on it's side. (not as wide)

He stapled a towel up to block the big girls from seeing the littles while on roost and added a flat board for them to roost on. We just sat it across their roost and a small ladder. It worked. Today he will add the board permanently.

Hopefully they continue to go in on their own and start roosting instead of piling up on top of each other on the floor.

 

[Lor]

This is what I'm talking about. The nest boxes and the Bigs roost is on the other side of that towel (part of the original coop).

 

[Iluveggers]

This is what I'm talking about. The nest boxes and the Bigs roost is on the other side of that towel (part of the original coop).

That looks like a great modification! I had fun reading through this thread!

 

[Lor]

Bigs area. There are 4 nest boxes but angle shows 2.
Will 4 be enough for 11 hens when the littles start laying?

 

[Lor]

That looks like a great modification! I had fun reading through this thread!

It was approaching their bedtime so we had to think of something quick. LOL

 

[rayrose]

The only thing that I would do differently is keep the young ones
separated at roost time from the older girls. When they're big enough and confident enough, they'll go into the roost with the big girls all by themselves. You'll have the usual jockeying for position, which is normal.

 

[Lor]

The only thing that I would do differently is keep the young ones
separated at roost time from the older girls. When they're big enough and confident enough, they'll go into the roost with the big girls all by themselves. You'll have the usual jockeying for position, which is normal.

My coop is a little wonky. Hard to explain. LOL (I hate it) Wish it was a walk in. I'm short and the floor of the coop is chest height. I have to use a ladder to climb in through the door. Luckily there is enough head space for me. Originally built for only the 4 hens but enlarged for the newbies. It was made from my daughter's wooden swing set with a tree house. We hadn't planned on having more than the four hens and it was made with materials we could access for free.

FYI: The chickens are my husband's (LOL). It was his idea. So what I want and what he is willing to do aren't necessarily the same thing. They only use the coop for laying eggs and sleeping at night so convincing him to give them more outdoor space was easy enough but redoing the coop not so much.

We did have the Littles separated from the Bigs with fencing inside the coop (length wise).
Problem was they were getting too big for panic doors and couldn't access the pop door or where their new roost is. I would have to put them up in the coop every night. There isn't enough roost space (5ft of roost) in the original part, for all to sit with the Bigs and the Bigs prefer their original roosts. There are some boards from the tree house, inside, that can be removed to open it up more to appear they are roosting together. We just haven't gotten that far yet. Still trying to figure out how to add more ventilation.

 

[Lor]

The coop made from swing set/tree house.
To the left you can see the newer wood that is the recent add on.
The enclosed wooden part to the right while goes all the way to the ground, just gives a shaded area in run for dirt bathing under the coop. (Before they started using the outer run).

 

[Lor]

Under the coop.