Blending the two flocks

[Whimsy]

Night before last I decided that the 9 week old chicks were just getting too heavy to cart up the hill every day to put in the brooder. They have been spending the days in the divided big girls run. There was no coop for them so up and down the hill I went.

Saturday I opened the run to let the big girl free range and then opened the divider up. I stayed outside most of the day to monitor and there were no real issues just a few scrimmages. Sunday same thing but the little ones actually came out of the run to free range.

Monday I spent the day giving the little ones a safe place inside the 8 x 8 coop. A place the big girls could not get into. I picked each chick up and put them into the safe place so they knew it was there. I drug down an old u shaped log holder for a roost place. It is lower than the big girls so I knew they wouldn't want it.

Monday night nervously I shut them all together and waited outside to make sure all seemed well. This morning I went down extra early and opened the door so no one was stuck together too long. The babies were all on the floor, part in the safe place happy as could be and the older ones were all in their perspective places.

Everything went well better than I thought. I guess it was because for about 6 weeks the little ones were in sight of the older hens and my one roo.

So I may have done a few things wrong but it worked.

 

[CMV]

I love it when integrations are successful. Nice work!

 

[Whimsy]

Thanks, now trying to figure out what to feed everybody!!!

 

[Kittymomma]

Quote:
It's usually best to feed to the youngest portion of your flock. I feed my mixed age/species flock gamebird feed with oyster shell out freechoice for the layers. It's worked very well for me. I know a lot of people use grower or flockraiser with similar results. Any of them will work as long as you put the oyster shell out so the layers can meet their calcium needs.

I've never had a problem with the youngsters eating the oyster shell, once in awhile one of them will take a taste, but they've never gobbled it up and most of them show no interest in it at all until they're just about ready to start laying.

ETA: Glad to hear the integration went well. It's nice to hear of a succesfull attempt when so often it's the opposite.

 

[Whimsy]

I feed Nutrena and I just got done emailing them for their answer. The young birds were on meat bird for about a week before I blended the flocks. I was feeding the hens Nutrena later pellets with a combination of wheat, Boss and rolled oats and Manna Pro Conditioner.

I was going to mix another batch tomorrow, but will wait till Nutrena gets back with me. The little ones do not like the pellets but the hens LOVE the meat bird food.

Have you guys ever noticed they are like children?? They really don't want it but the others one can have it so they now want it.