Be Friendly Damn It

[OneLuckeyWife]

I am incubating eggs. If they hatch, they will be added to our flock. The head roo is a RIR. He hates any chick/hen/roo that isn’t already established as part of the flock and will attack if the new chicken isn’t in the flock.

How do I integrate new chicks into the flock? We have a coop that the flock doesn’t use. Should I move chicks in the coop when they are ready until the flock gets aquatinted with them?

 

[sbhkma]

I'd do that yes. I also have to ask..if your roo is aggressive and unsafe why do you keep him?

 

[Mrs. K]

The reality is that chicks can be very vulnerable to an attack by an older bird. Long established flocks, in where there have never been new chickens added can be very aggressive.

My flock has had new chicks each year, and does not get to worked up about it. I found lattice panels worked very well. The chicks could go through them like water, both ways into a safe zone, out into the run with the big girls and rooster. At first they stayed very close to the panels, and could retreat if a big bird came too close. They could eat inside the safe zone. I was happy with this, this allowed the chickens to work it out on their terms, not mine. I did turn out the big girls during the day to free range a bit, while the chicks figured it out. Just to give more space.

Some people are uncomfortable with this, and keep them in a see, not touch mode for a couple of weeks.

Mrs K

 

[ThenNotSoChickenMaster]

I usually separate them inside or somewhere close to the main coop. We currently have a brooder inside the coop that separates the chicks and the main flock with a fence like wall. They can see each other, they sleep together, but they can't physically touch each other. That way when its time to officially integrate them into the flock, it's easier for both of them. There will always be pecking and sometimes fight, but not as bad as if they suddenly turned up.

When adding new members to a flock, always add them at night so they wake up together. Make sure they are similar in size too. There will always be pecking, sadly you can't avoid it.

 

[Ridgerunner]

@aart has some standard links and attachments that can be handy for you but I’ll try to touch on some basics. Soem people violate any or all of these and still do great, some follow each and every one to the letter and still have problems. These do not come with guarantees but the do help your odds of being successful.

Let them get to know each other before you turn them loose together. House them where they can see each other but can’t get to each other. I start from Day 1, my brooder is in the coop. My broody hens start from Day 1. Regardless of the age of the chickens this helps. If the adults can see the chicks in that coop you mentioned that sounds like the way to go.

How much room they have is critical, the more the better. If they are packed close together you are more likely to have behavioral problems regardless of age, sex, or whether or not they are already integrated. When you are integrating the chances of problems greatly multiply, especially when space is limited.

Separate feeding and watering stations help assure they can all eat and drink without the younger having to challenge the older. Keep this up until the chicks mature enough to force their way into the pecking order. Until then they are at the bottom of the pecking order and need room to avoid the older chickens.

Be patient. Do not feel you need to do anything to accelerate the process. Chickens have been working this out for thousands of years, usually with a lot of room. Do not force them to be close together before they are ready. Give them the option to work it out at their pace, not yours.

We all go about this differently and have our own methods and techniques. I raise mine in a brooder in the coop until they are 5 weeks old. Then I open the brooder door and walk away. Occasionally I’ll move some to a different grow-out coop for a while, but still with the flock. I normally open that gate at 8 weeks (after they know where they should sleep) and walk away. I have never lost one to another adult flock member this way, but I have a lot of room. None of that 4 square feet per bird, more like 100 square feet per bird when it is crowded, sometimes a lot more.

I don’t use that safe haven methid Mrs. K is talking about but it is an excellent tool especially if your room is limited. We all have different conditions, management techniques, and goals so different things can work.

I find that if a dominant rooster is introduced to chicks when they are very young he tends to think they are his and is more likely to help with their raising than harm them. At the least he leaves them alone. If they are older so he thinks they are not his there is a higher chance of him not being so nice to them. But like everything else you don’t get guarantees on this either, when you deal with living animals you just don’t get guarantees.

It’s good to ask questions and try to figure out how others go about it. It may help you to know that a lot of us go through this a few times every year and just don’t have problems. But never forget that some people do have problems even if they do everything right. You just don’t know with living animals, I could have a disaster this spring. You’ll need to try things and work out what works for you.

Good luck!

 

[Poultrybonkers]

If your roos aggressive his offspring will be aswell

 

[aart]

Not sure how you've managed your flock, why you have multiple males, or how you've integrated new birds in the past. Space is key, so is patience and a good knowledge of chicken society.

I do use the safe area to integrate chicks, but only for about 4-6 weeks.
Here's what I do.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

Here's my integration notes, @Ridgerunner has hit on most of them,
so pardon any repeats(I paste from a file, he types anew every time).
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.

This used to be a better search, new format has reduced it's efficacy, but still:
Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, BUT some info is outdated IMO:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

 

[OneLuckeyWife]

Thanks for the advice y’all.

I keep the aggressive roo because he’s the head roo. Once he accepts a new bird as part of the flock he protects them. When I added the Brahmas as chicks they were about the same size. And the RIR would go about the yard during the day and come to the coop at night.

Now that everyone is older they don’t even go into the coop for anything. They do eat next to the coop because that’s where place their food just outside the coop. They all sleep on the porch. And lay their eggs in a tree and by the ac unit.

Sweet Hen, a Brahma hen, will take in any chick after she sees it and watches it for a few minutes.

The RIR did adopt a duck after a hawk took our drake. So even though they can be mean they will eventually get along.

Just needed to know the safest way to bring in new chicks. The flock was started this year in April.