Can I fast track integration?

[RedMoxie]

I have 5 week old chicks that have been brooding in the henhouse run for the last 3 weeks in their own little coop-within-a-coop. I've left space for them to leave their coop and enter the run, but not enough for the hens to chase them in. They never ventured out.

Today, we pulled the mini-coop out for some maintenance and let everyone mingle (12 layers and a roo) while under close observation. They shared treats, took dust baths together, pecked at the same piles--all with nothing more than general curiosity displayed. They were together for about 2 hours total without a single incident.

All my hens are docile--but I don't want to get over eager. When do I know it's safe to integrate them if they're already doing so well?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Sounds like it went well for a first meeting - curiosity and even some pecking is fine, as long as none of the adults are being overly aggressive.

Now that the chicks have visited the great outdoors they may be more likely to venture forth from their enclosure. Also are you sure they know how to get in and out of it? Sometimes you have to "chase" them in and out of the openings for them to understand how it works.

 

[RedMoxie]

Now that the chicks have visited the great outdoors they may be more likely to venture forth from their enclosure. Also are you sure they know how to get in and out of it? Sometimes you have to "chase" them in and out of the openings for them to understand how it works.

Hi--just as you suggested, for the rest of the afternoon they have dashed in and out freely--seems like they just needed the nudge. The hens have been out of the run since we put the mini coop back in, but the chicks definitely took cover from me by running back in when I came in and I think they will be fine taking cover if they feel threatened. If it keeps going well and we see more integration throughout the coming week, is this a sign that we can go ahead and pull out the mini coop sooner than later?

 

[rosemarythyme]

I think so - play it by ear and use your best judgement based on the behavior you're seeing. There's no hard and fast numbers with integration as each flock is different.

Once you remove the mini coop it's a good idea to have other obstacles available for the chicks to hide behind/on top of/under in case one of the adults gets ornery.

 

[lazy gardener]

Many of us have found that chicks integrate very well into the flock as long as they have enough room, extra feeding stations, multiple areas where they can get out of line of sight, and escape the bigger birds. Multi level areas helpful also!

 

[blackdog043]

It sounds like things are going very well with your integration. If you get by this week, I would say yes to getting rid of the mini coop. I integrated at 4 weeks with a coop brooder and it went real good with just a peck or two. After a week the chicks were staying out of the brooder most of the time. Like LG said, it's good to have extra feed stations and stuff in the run so they can be out of site(boards leaned up against the run) also some branches for them to hop up onto works well.

 

[RedMoxie]

Thanks LG and Blackdog--quick question about multiple feeding stations--anything particularly clever I can do to keep my hens from scarfing up all the chick crumbles? Can I switch the chicks over to layer feed early? Since they are on two different feeds for now, I just want to make sure I dont set either of them up to eat the other's food (if thats important once my chicks hit 6 or so weeks)

 

[Folly's place]

It's easiest to feed everyone an all-flock feed, and have oyster shell on the side for your actively laying hens. No changes need to ever happen that way! If you need to feed a medicated chick starter for new chicks, then you can transition them to the unmedicated all-flock feed between eight and ten weeks, after they've been out there for a while.
Mary

 

[RedMoxie]

It's easiest to feed everyone an all-flock feed, and have oyster shell on the side for your actively laying hens. No changes need to ever happen that way! If you need to feed a medicated chick starter for new chicks, then you can transition them to the unmedicated all-flock feed between eight and ten weeks, after they've been out there for a while.
Mary

Mary, thanks so much. Can you give me a rule of thumb on what you mean by "need" to feed a medicated chick feed? We are currently feeding medicated chick feed, but that's primarily because that's what the teenager at tractor supply sold us on. Our chicks are a mix of home incubator hatched and hatchery-shipped day olds, so some were vaccinated and others werent. If I can transition them all to an all flock feed, I'd love to, but I'm not fully clear on which chicks might need medicated feed and which might be fine with all flock.

Thanks in advance.

CS

 

[Folly's place]

Feed medicated with amprolium is designed to help chicks manage the coccidia they find in their environment, so they don't get sick from a sudden overexposure to the parasite.
Marek's vaccine is meant to protect the birds from developing the tumors that are caused by that virus in infected flocks. Two different issues!
Some of us don't have a big problem with coccidiosis, and never need the medicated feed. Other places, and other years, chicks will die from this parasite without the medicated feed. So, it depends, and the safest plan is to feed medicated feed until the babies have been out at the coop for a couple of weeks.
Mary