First Night of Flock Integration and They All Went to Roost Together - Even the Silkies!!!

[ChickieChickieMama]

Hey guys, can anyone help me please? I have 7 7 week old chicks and 5 5 week olds. I had them in separate brooders because i didn't have enough room. I put the older ones in the coop a couple weeks ago and kept them in there for a week and when I let them out they went back in at night like clockwork. It was so easy.
Then I did the same a couple weeks later with the younger ones and they refuse to go into the coop from the run at bedtime. I kept them in a couple more days but am still having trouble. Anyone have a good ideas?

Hmmm. It could be a territory thing. What are your roosts like? Is there enough space for them to have their own separate areas to roost? I noticed with mine that even though they all get along they still keep to their own group with minimal intermingling - especially at night. Perhaps setting up two separate areas to roost might help if you have the space? Or get creative and put up a temporary wall dividing up the roosts you already have if you don't have space, just to visually separate the space in two?

Don't let my original post discourage you....I posted about this because I was in total shock that it was so easy because normally it isn't!!

 

[ChickieChickieMama]

Also, now my older chickies don't go in to roost as early as they used to. The babies do, though! It's so funny...I went out tonight to close them up and found them like this:

Hahaha! That's my head roo at the top, calling his ladies in to bed (they were all still running around playing outside!) The babies meanwhile had all claimed prime roost spaces together! I sat in the corner to watch this unfold, and over a span of about five minutes, he called them all in until each one slowly found its way up the ladder and around the babies until they all were comfortably nestled in together. They're finding their way together and it's a learning process for everyone!

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

Also, now my older chickies don't go in to roost as early as they used to. The babies do, though! It's so funny...I went out tonight to close them up and found them like this:
View attachment 1412615
Hahaha! That's my head roo at the top, calling his ladies in to bed (they were all still running around playing outside!) The babies meanwhile had all claimed prime roost spaces together! I sat in the corner to watch this unfold, and over a span of about five minutes, he called them all in until each one slowly found its way up the ladder and around the babies until they all were comfortably nestled in together. They're finding their way together and it's a learning process for everyone!

SO CUTE!!!

 

[ChickieChickieMama]

My third crew of babies are officially integrated now too!!!

I added into the brooder last week my twelve mail order Ideal chicks and then two days ago they staged a revolt and broke out of the brooder while I was adding some ice cubes to their water!!

I was nervous at first because they're still so little but they're all getting along so well already!!!

No squabbles at all except my two Golden Comet pullets tried to peck them a few times and my head cockerel RooPaul immediately came to the babies' rescue!! What a fantastic rooster he is!!!

(shameless beautiful rooster plug! Those are the two offending Golden Comets skulking in the background!)

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

BEAUTIFUL FLOCK!!!

 

[ChickieChickieMama]

BEAUTIFUL FLOCK!!!

Thank you! I love them all so much!

I wanted a really unique and diverse flock and I can't wait to see them all grown up in their full glory - not to mention all the different eggs I'll get!

Before I got into chickens I had absolutely no idea how many different and beautiful breeds there are - not to mention how sweet and quirky they can be as pets!!!

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

Thank you! I love them all so much!

I wanted a really unique and diverse flock and I can't wait to see them all grown up in their full glory - not to mention all the different eggs I'll get!

Before I got into chickens I had absolutely no idea how many different and beautiful breeds there are - not to mention how sweet and quirky they can be as pets!!!

Same here!!!! exept our feed stores were dry when I got mine.i really wanted some from a backyard breeder that had Orpingtons, polish, cochins, frizzles, seramas, silkies..ect. but they said they would hold some for me and the day before we went to pick them up the messaged me and said that they forgot to save me some its a 3 hour drive ONE WAY to their property... by then feed stores were pretty much emptyi had no idea there were so many beautiful breeds either until I started studying them

 

[ChickieChickieMama]

Same here!!!! exept our feed stores were dry when I got mine.i really wanted some from a backyard breeder that had Orpingtons, polish, cochins, frizzles, seramas, silkies..ect. but they said they would hold some for me and the day before we went to pick them up the messaged me and said that they forgot to save me some its a 3 hour drive ONE WAY to their property... by then feed stores were pretty much emptyi had no idea there were so many beautiful breeds either until I started studying them

Awwww I totally understand. That is so frustrating!!!! It sounds like you've found some lovely ones though....who all do you have in your flock now?

I had never intended to raise chicks....I was looking locally for laying hens of a wide variety and I only planned on getting 6-10 total. However everything kept falling through so one day we just stopped in at TSC and bought up one of every chick they had available. That's how I ended up with six roosters and only two pullets - even though five of them were supposed to be sexed pullets...so all of my beautiful breeds are roosters and now I'm facing having to rehome some of them.

On a whim, I bought my second crew at a hardware store I stopped in to buy sand and mealworms - they had Polish which are my favourite and Easter Eggers which I desperately wanted for their pretty eggs and Silkies which I never intended to get but which I couldn't resist. So I got two of each!

Then I finally came to terms with the fact that my pullets were actually cockerels....so I decided to try to order sexed chicks online to balance out the flock a bit - and I'm so glad I did! I ordered thirteen different birds (12 different breeds and two Easter Eggers)?

I am the poster girl for Chicken Math. I'm a total collector...or addict.

I do have to let go of some of my cockerels now though...or buy more pullets! Haha I already have a list of breeds I still don't have but really want!

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

Awwww I totally understand. That is so frustrating!!!! It sounds like you've found some lovely ones though....who all do you have in your flock now?

I had never intended to raise chicks....I was looking locally for laying hens of a wide variety and I only planned on getting 6-10 total. However everything kept falling through so one day we just stopped in at TSC and bought up one of every chick they had available. That's how I ended up with six roosters and only two pullets - even though five of them were supposed to be sexed pullets...so all of my beautiful breeds are roosters and now I'm facing having to rehome some of them.

On a whim, I bought my second crew at a hardware store I stopped in to buy sand and mealworms - they had Polish which are my favourite and Easter Eggers which I desperately wanted for their pretty eggs and Silkies which I never intended to get but which I couldn't resist. So I got two of each!

Then I finally came to terms with the fact that my pullets were actually cockerels....so I decided to try to order sexed chicks online to balance out the flock a bit - and I'm so glad I did! I ordered thirteen different birds (12 different breeds and two Easter Eggers)?

I am the poster girl for Chicken Math. I'm a total collector...or addict.

I do have to let go of some of my cockerels now though...or buy more pullets! Haha I already have a list of breeds I still don't have but really want!

I would be in the same predicament as you if my Dad & Mom weren't in charge!!!!! I am CONSTANTLY asking for these chicks or those chickens LOL!! I got what they had left at the feed stores (we went to every one in the area LOL!) I was able to rescue 3 buff orpingtons & 2 EE (sold as Ameraucanas (paid $15 EACH for dying chicks) (all nearly died on the way home) from this TERRIBLE feed store, The whole store STUNK from how discusting the pens were and they had NO WATER and their food was TERRIBLE (powder or something) sprinkled on the ground, NO BEDDING and to top it off their were 2 dead chicks in there and 3 almost dead ones. their were Turkeys 2 week olds 2 day olds and several breeds all SMASHED in one tub. it was sad. the next feed store only had some mixed breed bantams (which I would get but I needed layers and my dad is my conscience LOL!!(him=) so the next feed store (which I was SO EXITED for because my parents went in the day before and they had JUST STOCKED THEIR POLISH!!!!) I went in and all they had were a couple barred rocks, some rhode island reds and 1 SILKIE!!!! I went up to the cage and started crying at me and I couldn't resist! (I had to BEG my dad on hand and nee LOL!!!) he gave in. THEY WERE TOTALLY OUT OF POLISH. so I came home with 3 barred rocks, 3 buff orps, 2 EE's and a silkie. I was happy but I really wanted a polish.....(backstory) every day several times a day I went across the road to see my neighbors chicken (she is a 5 year old polish) (she ran to see me because I brought her treats, I felt really bad for her because all their other fowl beat her up because she was the only polish and they were not raised with them. long story short they noticed me and told me I could have her because she was old and heading for the cook pot.... I LOVE HER!! she is sweet with all my chicks lays consistently (SHE LAID 2 EGGS YESTERDAY!)And has healed up fine! she is the sweetest!!! and then fast forward 9 weeks ALL MY STRAIT RUN CHICKS ARE PULLLETS!!!! YAY!!!! that means one more chicken!!!so I found Tango a handsome Buff Orpington Cockerel! and I may be adding more to my flock soon!!!