Chicks not integrating need advice

[Nksg75]

Hi there,
I have some questions on how to help my latest chicks .
a little background.
I have a 20X30 coop, and my flock free range daily. As soon as the auto door opens in the morning the flock is out and about.
I am having issues Integrating my latest batch of chicks. They did get off to a late start as far as integration goes. I had them separated for awhile due to them having fowl pox.
They are approx 13 weeks old now, and have been inside the coop for approx 3 weeks. They have their own area in the back of the coop that has openings for them to get in and out to mingle with the flock, yet get back to safety in their own little safe place.
what I am having issues with is this batch of chicks just doesn’t seem to be getting the whole thing. They are staying in the area only and not really daring to come out. All the while the chicks are getting bigger and bigger and the space it getting way to tight for all 30 of them. I have had to make the openings a bit larger, because of their age, and now some of my slimmer hens manage to get in there and gorge on the chick food.
I have used this same setup for other chicks and never had them just stay in there the whole time. However I will say that for every other batch I had in there they started much younger(4-5weeks Vs 10 weeks).
Any advice on how to move them along without rebuilding the entire setup?

 

[DobieLover]

At 13 weeks they are pullets and cockerels. They've now had 3 full weeks of "look don't touch" integration. I would just remove the barrier and monitor. They should do fine in a sub-flock that size.

 

[Nksg75]

At 13 weeks they are pullets and cockerels. They've now had 3 full weeks of "look don't touch" integration. I would just remove the barrier and monitor. They should do fine in a sub-flock that size.

Ok, I will give that one a go tomorrow when I can be at the coop most of the day. We will see how it goes. These chicks better get used to it fast.

 

[RoyalChick]

I would close the coop with the other birds outside and take away the barrier and give them a few hours to explore and learn the layout.
I would also add some junk they can dodge around - tree stumps, an overturned chair, whatever.
After they have had a few hours on their own to explore I would do as @DobieLover says.
I would caveat all the above by saying that others are more experienced - I have only integrated 3 batches of new chickens so far.

 

[sybonbon]

Hi there,
I have some questions on how to help my latest chicks .
a little background.
I have a 20X30 coop, and my flock free range daily. As soon as the auto door opens in the morning the flock is out and about.
I am having issues Integrating my latest batch of chicks. They did get off to a late start as far as integration goes. I had them separated for awhile due to them having fowl pox.
They are approx 13 weeks old now, and have been inside the coop for approx 3 weeks. They have their own area in the back of the coop that has openings for them to get in and out to mingle with the flock, yet get back to safety in their own little safe place.
what I am having issues with is this batch of chicks just doesn’t seem to be getting the whole thing. They are staying in the area only and not really daring to come out. All the while the chicks are getting bigger and bigger and the space it getting way to tight for all 30 of them. I have had to make the openings a bit larger, because of their age, and now some of my slimmer hens manage to get in there and gorge on the chick food.
I have used this same setup for other chicks and never had them just stay in there the whole time. However I will say that for every other batch I had in there they started much younger(4-5weeks Vs 10 weeks).
Any advice on how to move them along without rebuilding the entire setup?

They know where it's safe.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Are any of them getting hurt? If not, life is good.

They have their own area in the back of the coop that has openings for them to get in and out to mingle with the flock, yet get back to safety in their own little safe place.

How long have they been able to enter the rest of the coop? The full three weeks? Not sure what is going on with that.

They are staying in the area only and not really daring to come out.

Do you mean out to the rest of the coop or outside to free range? Not sure what you are aiming for.

I agree with Dobie. Take enough of that barrier down so they can all go wherever they want. See what happens. After three weeks across wire and in that much room they should be OK but certainly monitor, especially when they are all going to bed.

As long as no one is getting injured I tend to let mine figure things like this out on their own. Sometimes that just takes a few minutes but sometimes it can take two or three days, and my coop is only 8' x 12'. Your 20 x 30 is really nice. That's my key. As long as no one is getting injured I don't have a problem. They might have one so they need to figure it out on their own. So I let them.

 

[Nksg75]

Are any of them getting hurt? If not, life is good.


How long have they been able to enter the rest of the coop? The full three weeks? Not sure what is going on with that.


Do you mean out to the rest of the coop or outside to free range? Not sure what you are aiming for.

I agree with Dobie. Take enough of that barrier down so they can all go wherever they want. See what happens. After three weeks across wire and in that much room they should be OK but certainly monitor, especially when they are all going to bed.

As long as no one is getting injured I tend to let mine figure things like this out on their own. Sometimes that just takes a few minutes but sometimes it can take two or three days, and my coop is only 8' x 12'. Your 20 x 30 is really nice. That's my key. As long as no one is getting injured I don't have a problem. They might have one so they need to figure it out on their own. So I let them.

They had had the option to leave the safety of their brooder for all 3 weeks, yet they are choosing to stay inside the already overcrowded brooder.
I have gone ahead and made a much larger opening and it seems that many of the other hens are helping themself to the exact same food inside the brooder vs in the regular coop.
Silly chickens!
Anyway, I am not sure why they are such wimps because I had another batch 4 weeks older than this batch and they are already free ranging with the older girls

 

[kbroom]

At 13 weeks they are pullets and cockerels. They've now had 3 full weeks of "look don't touch" integration. I would just remove the barrier and monitor. They should do fine in a sub-flock that size.

Oh HOW TRUE! How do I know? Well....um....the logic just ISN'T THERE! I really can't say much more...family is involved...