Baby steps to merge... Need advice

[Rachelle Elaine]

I have 10 chicks (about 4-5 weeks is my guess, I'll post photos cause I'm not sure about the age) they are currently in a large run while my flock free ranges around it. I've been doing the c but don't touch method for a little over a week. I've also brought hens individually into the run supervised for short periods of time. I was thinking of trying to let the chicks out of the run about an hour before roost time. The chicks have never been out of the run before so ...
I'm wondering if I should put my flock up early and allow the chicks to free range for an hour before roosting to make sure they go back into the run? (I'm not 100% sure they know it's a safe space since they've never left it I don't know I was trying to do this and smaller doses).
Or should I just let them out with the flock about an hour before roost so I can supervise?
The picture with the cage is so they get used to going into the coop at night but are still separated and that's working out really well.

Also there's one chick that's a red color with whiteish blotchy feathers if anyone has any idea what breed that might be similar to I'd appreciate that opinion as well. I know I might need to post that in a different section of the form.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Or should I just let them out with the flock about an hour before roost so I can supervise?
The picture with the cage is so they get used to going into the coop at night but are still separated and that's working out really well.

How are they getting into that cage in the coop at night? Do you physically put them in or do they go in on their own? I suspect you are putting them in there.

My situation is a little different to yours because my brooder is in the coop. They grow up with the flock and they know where home is. I'm not sure how well yours know where to go at night. That's my main reason for hesitancy. It might be the coop, it might be the run.

The way I do this is to open the brooder door after the adults are outside in the morning at five weeks and walk away. My adults stay outside all day every day except when they are laying or going to bed. Sometimes all the chicks are out of the brooder within 15 minutes, sometimes it takes longer. Often they stay in the coop itself for a day or two but once they go outside, they tend to stay outside all day every day. But they return to the coop to sleep at night.

You have some unknowns. I'd suggest you try this before dark so you can supervise. They may not even leave the run or coop within that hour. I would not expect any issues between the chicks and adults while they are out free ranging but there might be when they all get together in the coop or run. They might need some help finding their way back. Sometimes mine get caught with a fence in between them and where they want to sleep, they totally forget about the gate they have used all day to go back and forth.

Also there's one chick that's a red color with whiteish blotchy feathers if anyone has any idea what breed that might be similar to I'd appreciate that opinion as well. I know I might need to post that in a different section of the form.

Where did you get him? What are some of the options? To me he looks like a cross breed, not a specific breed but some clues might point us in the right direction. Do you know what roosters were in the flock he came from? What hens?

At five weeks that is a cockerel. The red comb and especially red wattles make that clear. He also has the posture, legs, and build of a boy.

 

[Rachelle Elaine]

How are they getting into that cage in the coop at night? Do you physically put them in or do they go in on their own? I suspect you are putting them in there.

My situation is a little different to yours because my brooder is in the coop. They grow up with the flock and they know where home is. I'm not sure how well yours know where to go at night. That's my main reason for hesitancy. It might be the coop, it might be the run.

The way I do this is to open the brooder door after the adults are outside in the morning at five weeks and walk away. My adults stay outside all day every day except when they are laying or going to bed. Sometimes all the chicks are out of the brooder within 15 minutes, sometimes it takes longer. Often they stay in the coop itself for a day or two but once they go outside, they tend to stay outside all day every day. But they return to the coop to sleep at night.

You have some unknowns. I'd suggest you try this before dark so you can supervise. They may not even leave the run or coop within that hour. I would not expect any issues between the chicks and adults while they are out free ranging but there might be when they all get together in the coop or run. They might need some help finding their way back. Sometimes mine get caught with a fence in between them and where they want to sleep, they totally forget about the gate they have used all day to go back and forth.


Where did you get him? What are some of the options? To me he looks like a cross breed, not a specific breed but some clues might point us in the right direction. Do you know what roosters were in the flock he came from? What hens?

At five weeks that is a cockerel. The red comb and especially red wattles make that clear. He also has the posture, legs, and build of a boy.

The cage is open to the run so at first light they all seem to run out into the run enclosure and spend most of the day there and put themselves back into the cage at night.
The cage is on the floor of the coop below where my girls roost.
I open the coop front door in the morning so they can get out to free range. Not the best photo because you can't really see the whole coop or roost but you get the idea of the coop.i got them from my hubby's coworker who had to get rid of them (personal issues).

 

[Mrs. K]

I think you are integrated as far as the chickens are concerned. I would let them out and take a good headcount near dark, to make sure everyone made it back.

Mrs K

 

[Ridgerunner]

That's different than I thought. I agree, let them out. Check up on them, especially near dark, but you are in a real good place.

 

[Rachelle Elaine]

Thanks for the advice! Will do.

 

[Rachelle Elaine]

Tonight went really well there's a little bit of chasing but no bullying. I think I'll continue to do this for a few more nights and then just expand the time that they're outside. I even pulled mama and her chick out to join the evening festivities. Thanks again for y'all's help.
Mama has a saddle but since it's been in the triple digits for the last several weeks she hasn't been wearing it. She mostly sits inside on the chick anyway, I know she looks rough so I didn't want it to go unmentioned