Can they move in with the big chickens?

[CHlCKEN]

I always do a 2-3 week see but no touch integration.
The entire flock can be on grower feed, no mixing of feed.

I always find that letting them all out to free range works so well. Keeping one half of the group in a pen doesn’t work because they ignore each other. When they free range, they will ignore but get some form of interaction.

 

[Missy020219]

You can probably knock down at least one of those walls and extend the enclosed area.

Well I’m just borrowing the cage, so don’t think I’ll do that

 

[black_cat]

Well I’m just borrowing the cage, so don’t think I’ll do that

Than I'd take out the cage, get some chicken wire, and create an enclosed area for them down the length of that whole wall to the end, and possibly wider as well.

 

[Missy020219]

Than I'd take out the cage, get some chicken wire, and create an enclosed area for them down the length of that whole wall to the end, and possibly wider as well.

Okay, if do that I’ll probably put my quails into that cage. So how would I do that? Lol I’m not very handy with tools.

 

[black_cat]

Okay, if do that I’ll probably put my quails into that cage. So how would I do that? Lol I’m not very handy with tools.

Red I think is the base of where you should put the chicken wire, hc, or welded wire. one wall of it going up a ways, however high you like, bur high enough for chickies (at least as high as it is now) one panel going all the way across the floor vertically to that big box thing. Attach it using heavy staples. One panel going across horizontally, as the roof. The blue represents zip ties to join them. The pink and green are the larger amounts of space you could do, attached the same way. Add some panic room holes immediately because these have been in the coop for a while. Make sure that they're big enough for the chickies to easily get through, but small enough for the hens to not get through.

 

[Missy020219]

View attachment 2361868
Red I think is the base of where you should put the chicken wire, hc, or welded wire. one wall of it going up a ways, however high you like, bur high enough for chickies (at least as high as it is now) one panel going all the way across the floor vertically to that big box thing. Attach it using heavy staples. One panel going across horizontally, as the roof. The blue represents zip ties to join them. The pink and green are the larger amounts of space you could do, attached the same way. Add some panic room holes immediately because these have been in the coop for a while. Make sure that they're big enough for the chickies to easily get through, but small enough for the hens to not get through.

So... make them the fence and then make holes in it so they can spend time with the big chickens and still go into their cage?

 

[black_cat]

So... make them the fence and then make holes in it so they can spend time with the big chickens and still go into their cage?

Yep! Just make sure that the holes are small enough that the big chickens can't get through. That will make it so they have a safe space to run to if squabbles come up

 

[rosemarythyme]

Just FYI realistically 9 week olds are probably too big to use panic doors (openings that only allow young birds in), especially if your flock has varied sized hens. One of my smaller hens squeezed into an opening intended for 4 week olds, though she was only interested in the feeder and not the chicks, as the chicks had already been coming and going for at least a week before that. So you may need to rely on lots of clutter instead to provide safe spots for the chicks: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

What was the original plan for integration? You had it set up for early integration but decided against doing it?

 

[Cindy in PA]

My almost 6 week olds have been mingling with the flock for 6 days & staying in their safe area at night. They ran out into the run on day 2. They have been raised in the coop since day 1. So far I have had no problems whatsoever. I still have them locked in at night, since the light goes on 2 hours before the door opens. They will probably stay open tonight. I have used the raise a section of the fence method. I have never had such early integration & it really works! 9 week olds would be different, but it's a great thought for future chicks.

 

[Missy020219]

Just FYI realistically 9 week olds are probably too big to use panic doors (openings that only allow young birds in), especially if your flock has varied sized hens. One of my smaller hens squeezed into an opening intended for 4 week olds, though she was only interested in the feeder and not the chicks, as the chicks had already been coming and going for at least a week before that. So you may need to rely on lots of clutter instead to provide safe spots for the chicks: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

What was the original plan for integration? You had it set up for early integration but decided against doing it?

I had planned on keeping them in that cage till they were older and ate the same feed as the other chickens, but I’m starting to feel bad for them in the little cage.