Easiest Integration Ever!

[AUChickenGal]

I feel like all we ever talk about here are the integration horror stories, so I thought I'd share a story about the other kind.

After repeated raccoon attacks last winter, I was down to one pullet and one cockerel, so I sent the pullet to crash with a coworker's flock and gave the cockerel away while I worked on solving my problem. I finally got my "chicken fort Knox" built this spring and started over with chicks. Between a hatchery order, some hatching eggs, and a local BYC member, I have 10 chicks right now: 4 pullets around 11 weeks old, 2 pullets and 1 cockerel around 7 weeks old, and 2 pullets around 5 weeks old. Now that all of those groups are integrated and living in relative peace, it was time to retrieve my hen from my coworker. I figured that, if I had to add a single bird, adding one adult to a flock of chicks would at least be less problematic than one chick to a flock of adults. (No, I didn't quarantine her, and I'm aware of the risks there, but my coworker and I routinely swap/trade birds; this is a calculated risk we've been willing to take.)

And it went fine. Mocha (my EE hen) put the older group of pullets in their places quickly and ignored the smaller pullets completely. She had a few skirmishes with the cockerel, but nothing excessive, and it's probably good that she'll keep him in his place as he matures. I've checked on them multiple times today, and they've been happily scratching around the coop floor together every time.

I've honestly not had any really horrible integration experiences, but this one was by far my easiest. Why can't they all go like this?

 

[Harmony Fowl]

Yay, easy!

I think if you follow the right principles, integration is often easy (easier). One adult and all those youngsters is definitely a winning combo.

I can usually tell right away if an integration isn't going to work. I only need 10 or 15 minutes. It should be a no brainer. Nobody should care. If they care, there's likely to be a problem. My latest intro involved a young female turkey poult. I'd traded for her, so it was just her. I'd teamed her up with a young cockerel about the same age, 4-6 weeks, who had hatched in my flock but was also on his own, just for company. After a week in the intro coop in the middle of the run, I thought I'd try it out, but right away I knew. My teenage turkeys kept after her and every hen in sight had to come and tell her what for. It was too soon. Another week (and removing the teenage turkeys) and the next attempt was easy. It should be easy, given the right decision making, space and resources.

 

[AUChickenGal]

I just went out to watch over the roost time ritual. There was the expected amount of fussing and light pecking. But, when they all settled down, the two youngest chicks were happily cuddled up UNDER Mocha, and the three second-youngest were huddled up next to her, while the 11 week olds were piled up on the other end of the ledge/preferred roosting location. She's always been such a sweet girl; I'm so glad she survived the raccoon massacre! She also already laid an egg earlier today, as well, in the new nest boxes I just put in this morning.

 

[Mrs. K]

When it works HURRAY!

 

[aart]

Great story!

Can you post pics of your coop and run?
I'm betting you have a lot of space....and a tolerant hen in Mocha.

 

[noregerts]

I had a good integration experience recently too. A friend of a friend is ill and needed to re-home all of his ten birds. My friend took 3 and I took seven because I have the most space. I put the newbies in a small coop I use for babies and such and let them all see each other for a couple of days. When I let them out, there was a little bit of fussing but it ended quickly without anybody getting hurt. They've been fine since then.

 

[AUChickenGal]

Can you post pics of your coop and run?
I'm betting you have a lot of space....and a tolerant hen in Mocha.

Will do. The run isn’t set up yet (I use electric poultry netting) because the youngest chicks are still too small to be contained by it. But I’ll get some coop pics when I get home this evening.

 

[AUChickenGal]

Okay. Back now. It’s not much to look at, I realize, and some elements are still a work in progress, but here’s my coop. Size is 6’x12’. The outer “walls” are welded wire, and the inner “walls” are chicken wire. It is built into the open side of a metal barn. It doesn’t really get cold here often, but it is MISERABLY hot all summer, so ventilation was the primary objective. There is one sheet of plywood on the lower half of the semi-exposed side to block wind and driving rain.

First, here’s the whole crew hanging out. I think that counts as full integration, don’t you? Lol. It’s evident from the condition of Mocha’s back that my coworker’s flock is currently overloaded on roosters. Hopefully her feathers will start growing back in soon. Feeder is to the left in this photo. I had multiples up but removed the extras once the babies were all getting along reasonably well.

Front view of the coop:

Now that the babies are all big enough, I have removed the extra chick waterers. Though there’s only one water source now, there are horizontal nipples on both sides. The smaller chicks can duck through the cinder block to change sides if the bigger chickens are being bullies. You can also see the Flock Block off to the right; it keeps them entertained while they’re not getting much outside time yet, and it also helps keep the bigger chickens from guarding the feeder 24/7.

A view of the multiple roosting options. There is a baby roost in the lower right corner, a ladder, and a higher diagonal roost. But they all sleep on the 2”x4” ledge at the very back, as that is the highest space available. They love playing on the ladder during the daytime. Nest boxes are in the front right corner of the photo at ground level.

I have about 100’ of fencing that I use to create a semi-mobile run for them off the front of the coop when I don’t have small chicks. Should be able to put that up for this crew late this week or early next week.