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- #21
- Apr 15, 2016
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For sure! I’m a mama bear with my bigs and littles 

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4 weeks is definitely still quite young, so it's definitely a good idea to keep them away from the big birds.
Never had luck. So, I've been having to do introductions differently.Personally, I've had great success with integrating chicks at 4 weeks.
My Langshan rooster, Ludwig, was especially good with chicks and my Blue Australorp, Rameses seems to be pretty good with them so far. I've actually seen the chicks run right under the rooster when a hen was pursuing them after the chicks had violated her space.
Never had luck. So, I've been having to do introductions differently.
The only time I have success with 4 week olds, is with a broody hen, & her chicks be reintroduced into the flock.
I don't have space in my coops for a separate pen for just chicks. But would some day like to have an chick integration area.I have followed this advice for multiple batches, all integrated between 3 1/2 and 6 weeks depending on weather and feather status.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/
This is one of many iterations of my integration setup: https://www.backyardchickens.com/posts/24979435
I generally keep them in the integration pen for a week before opening the chick doors, but the second most recent batch found a weakness in the pen where a couple staples had pulled and popped out after just 3 days.
I thought I'd lost a chick but found her sitting on the roost between two adult hens.
It *may* help that I have had new chicks coming in every 6 weeks or so since April.
I don't have space in my coops for a separate pen for just chicks. But would some day like to have an chick integration area.
I think my oldest boy will be good with them. Haha, that’s too cute…hens can be grumpy with the chicks for sure! Praying they all integrate well! Being separated but in the same coop and run for a month at minimum, I’m thinking will help.Personally, I've had great success with integrating chicks at 4 weeks.
My Langshan rooster, Ludwig, was especially good with chicks and my Blue Australorp, Rameses seems to be pretty good with them so far. I've actually seen the chicks run right under the rooster when a hen was pursuing them after the chicks had violated her space.
Thanks for the info, I’ll check it out! I never buy chicks but TSC got me haha! I’d always wanted BLRW and they had 3 and a BCM, so I snatched them up. Kept them inside for 3 weeks and then into the coop and run in their own enclosures (we are in TX, so really don’t need heat lamps. So far so good and they are the smartest birds we’ve ever had.I have followed this advice for multiple batches, all integrated between 3 1/2 and 6 weeks depending on weather and feather status.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/
This is one of many iterations of my integration setup: https://www.backyardchickens.com/posts/24979435
I generally keep them in the integration pen for a week before opening the chick doors, but the second most recent batch found a weakness in the pen where a couple staples had pulled and popped out after just 3 days.
I thought I'd lost a chick but found her sitting on the roost between two adult hens.
It *may* help that I have had new chicks coming in every 6 weeks or so since April.
We built this in the run. It has hinges and a lock to hold it open when needed. When the big girls free range, the chicks get run of the run and then we have a kennel in the coop that they stay in at night.I don't have space in my coops for a separate pen for just chicks. But would some day like to have an chick integration area.
I've got this Giant foldable pen, that use for introducing turkeys.We built this in the run. It has hinges and a lock to hold it open when needed. When the big girls free range, the chicks get run of the run and then we have a kennel in the coop that they stay in at night.