Chick integration quandary. Am I making a terrible decision?

[downtown]

I am not sure how to proceed and could use some input.

I have an existing flock of two hens (all that remain from a larger flock started years ago), and ten chicks in a brooder in my kitchen. The two older hens have a luxurious coop contained within a large enclosed run, and access to a larger unenclosed area.

I built a small temporary coop outside the enclosed run for the chicks to live in for a few weeks/months in view of the older hens before integrating them. I was also going to temporarily fence off an area for the chicks to have access to outside their temporary coop.

I am now thinking that I should do things the other way around, and that instead of putting the ten chicks in the small temporary coop and exposed area during the day, that I should temporarily place my old hens in the temporary coop, and put the chicks (when they are six weeks old in two weeks) into the larger, more luxurious coop and enclosed run. It would have the bonus that the chicks could safely remain in an enclosed until they are more fully grown.

By re-housing the older hens temporarily (a downgrade for sure), will I be setting up the integration to fail when I have them all in the large coop?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The most successful integrations are when birds are like sizes and either like numbers or the new birds are more numerous.

 

[Lor]

By re-housing the older hens temporarily (a downgrade for sure), will I be setting up the integration to fail when I have them all in the large coop?

It's an interesting idea. Good question.
I do not have an answer but will be following this thread to see what others have to say.

 

[drivinatwork]

I too will be interested in how this works as I am planning the same thing. I have one hen now, about 9 months old in a 40sqft coop and a 20x40 run. I just bought 15 day old chicks and my plan is to move the hen into a temporary chicken tractor type coop and put the the new chicks in the run and coop after they are to big for the brooder. It just seems easier to move one bird rather than find somewhere big enough for the other 15, I just hope my hen will adjust to the new place.

 

[Happy hen lover]

Tganka g

The most successful integrations are when birds are like sizes and either like numbers or the new birds are more numerous.

That's great news cause I have 4 hens and 7 babies! I was wondering if the numbers would matter.

 

[3KillerBs]

Here are some useful articles on integration:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop-brooder-and-integration.74591/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/introducing-new-chickens-using-the-“see-but-don’t-touch”-method.67839/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/adding-to-your-flock.47756/

Some do early integrations as soon as chicks can be off heat (or even raise them in the coop in full view of the adults).

Some wait until they're closer in size. Both ways can either work or fail.

I forget who it is, @Mrs. K maybe?, who routinely swaps the new and old flock to let the new birds explore the coop before mixing the birds.

 

[Mrs. K]

I am a big proponent of switching them. It has worked all for me. When I realized, that in a see no touch situation, the chicks never establish territorial rights or learn where the hide outs are. The old birds never have seen them in their territory.

Even if you just lock the old girls OUT of the run/coop, letting them in in the late afternoon. It will work well. This will let the chicks explore the run, find the feed dishes, find the hide outs, figure things out without being chased for their lives.

If I understand your set up, put your chicks in the coop and small area for a couple of days. Say day three, let the old girls out of the coop/run, let the chicks in the run/coop. Near dark, let the old girls in, stay down there, to be sure, but more than likely, the chicks will go back to their coop, the old girls will roost. Rinse repeat.

Next day, let the old girls in a bit earlier, or if you can't let them out, put the old girls where the chicks are, and the chicks in the main coop and run. Leave them there over night. Make sure the chicks get into the coop. Do this once or twice more.

Let the works out to free range in the late afternoon, let them sleep in which ever coop they want. After three or four days - lock up the little coop.

Once in a while you will get one of the old girls to be a demon, but if so, just leave her by herself in the small coop.

My two week old chicks are in the flock now. I have been letting the old birds in about 5:00. Today, I saw the chicks checking the coop out.

The thing is don't prolong this forever, a week is about right.

Mrs K

 

[NatJ]

...temporarily place my old hens in the temporary coop, and put the chicks (when they are six weeks old in two weeks) into the larger, more luxurious coop and enclosed

That sounds like the best choice to me.

By re-housing the older hens temporarily (a downgrade for sure), will I be setting up the integration to fail when I have them all in the large coop?

I think it will probably make integration easier, not harder.

But no matter which birds you put in which coop at first, I do not think it would be setting up for the integration to fail. Either method should work fine, although one may be easier and faster than the other.