Flock integration.. asking for trouble or am I ok? Longish post. :)

[centrarchid]

Do you have enough roosting options. Getting the ground huddling animals up onto roost is a measure on integration I use.

 

[spartacus_63]

If the roo was a bit older or more dominant, he would control the pecking order for the most part. At least mine do. There is always some squabbling, but nothing Steve can't handle.

I have three broody hens who hatch all my eggs. I have a separate brooder coop that is next to the main coop but separated by wire. I keep chicks with mother hen secured in the brooder coop/run for 7-10 days. I then open the gate to the brooder coop during the day. My birds free range so they can go in and meet the little girls. Mother hens are very protective when other hens come a callin' but barely notice when Steve or Butch check in. Usually between three and four weeks, mother hen introduces the babies to the flock. although they may still roost in the brooder coop for a few more days, they get an orientation of the chicken palace. By six weeks they are all sleeping in the big coop. There is some pecking from the more mature birds but usually only when one of the young'uns steps out of the pecking order.

I have noticed that if I have to separate one of the birds for any length of time, they are often ostracized until they reestablish their place in the flock. When I re-introduce a bird or get a new bird(s) I insert them into the coop at night. I have no scientific evidence that this works better than any other method, but it is what works best for me.