Flock Integration

[aart]

I think this really helped break down the coop walls by not saying this is mine- this is mine...

Yep, confuses the territoriality.
Switching up who is where with whom really can break it ...Chicken Juggling!

 

[mrskenmore]

UPDATE: Sooooo after a long month of chicken juggling, a vacation and integrating the 4 for a few hours every day. I FINALLY had time this long weekend to try to get them all together. I decided that even though I love my EE flock leader, that she was the one causing problems, drawing blood and bothering the new girls when they were just sitting there. I decided to put her in the chicken jail for 2 days. It is a nice jail really, solitary confinement, a perch, a nesting box and plenty of food, water and oyster shells. She sat there miserable for 2 days. Her other bestie sat near her and didn't bother the little girls one bit (it helped that she started molting hee hee hee) mother nature was on my side! So at night I would let the two big girls sleep in the coop together so the two little girls could sleep in there little segregated area. Day two my EE went first thing back into jail again. Day 3 I woke up at 5:30 am, changed all the water, put in the food, added a hanging basket of weeds, sprinkled some sunflower seeds around and put in a suet cage of hanging kale. I sat and sat and sat and waited for them to all wake up without barriers. I figured if the bully was still mean, she would get locked up for day 3. Well.. I waited as everyone woke up.. and it was a miracle... no bullying, no pecking, no chasing. Everyone had magically figured out how to get along. I do owe a huge thanks to my number 2 chicken for keeping the peace for the 2 days with the little ones as well. Last night as I was cleaning up the coop, another miracle happened. The 2 little girls left their coop and area and went to bed with the 2 big girls on their own! Today the four are all together again and under high watch from me and my husband. Everything seems to be going well. I even have one of the little girls laying in the big girls nesting box! A big sigh of relief - but continue to monitor closely!

 

[mrskenmore]

Okay- so now they are all friends dust bathing, preening together and even chasing the crickets that I sent their way after I was attacked lol opening the bike shed door. I am elated that they are getting along in their own chicken way and I can finally relax after a stressful summer of integration.

 

[Suzi18]

I'm so happy to read about your success. I am going through a very similar situation and seems we both have the same idea about how to integrate. I have 6 that are 6 months old and 3 new that are 12 weeks old. I have them in 1 big run that is separated down the middle so that they can look and not touch. For the last week I have been letting them free range together and they get along fine. When they are back inside there is a little bit of pecking and the new girls seem to stay out of the way. I also have several roosts and places for them to hide. I don't leave them together unsupervised and they sleep separately for now. I have been doing this for 4 weeks and will take my time until I'm sure they can be together without my supervision. So I am so glad to hear there is a light at the end of my tunnel.

 

[mrskenmore]

There is definitely light! And a basket full of eggs lol. People thought I was crazy with how much time it took me, but what I must say is that the day I put them together and found the aggressor, separated her for two days- totally worked. The flock dynamic is night and day. They all look less stressed and happier. Which makes me less stressed and happier. Continue the slow and steady pace- that was what really worked for me, that and a lot of distractions (a new branch, a weed pile, leaves, sunflower seeds in unexpected places around the coop oh and I did 3 waters and three feeders in three different spots so everyone could eat and drink in peace). Good luck in your integration!

 

[Suzi18]

thank you and I did put out an additional feeder and waterer this past weekend. I'll keep you posted

 

[mrskenmore]

That's great! Good Luck and definitely keep me posted!

 

[Suzi18]

That's great! Good Luck and definitely keep me posted!

Well this weekend I decided it was finally time to try an integration. My patience certainly paid off. After 5 weeks of keeping them in a separate space inside the main run and 3 weeks of allowing them to free range together they are now all happily living together. Even roosting together at night. There was very little excitement involved on the part of the chickens but my excitement is huge. It went better than I ever expected and now I'm so glad I took my time with it all. Success!!!!

 

[mrskenmore]

Incredible right? They are such funny creatures! My flock leader now cuddles underneath the new ones when it is time to roost for bed lol!

Great job with the slow and steady method!