- Jun 3, 2021
- 9,762
- 90,854
- 1,266
My pullets (and Cheetah) went into the coop at just big enough to NOT fit through chicken wire. I fenced off a corner, put in their food/water, a heat source, a shaded part and let them watch the (then) 4 adults. Silver (lead hen) put herself into their area one morning (over the top of the fencing). At around 3.5-4 weeks, I started opening the bottom corners of the fencing at night so they could run around while the adults were sleepy (still had the light). at 5 weeks, I came home from work to find Twirp sauntering in from outside having gotten out of the fenced area. by bedtime I'd figured out how. The fencing folded down a bit where I'd reach in for the feed/water dishes to refill. they'd use teamwork. perch on top of the water dish then fly up to the tiny bulge from the fold and land. it would sink a bit....a second would join, then a third. The 4th could then land on the top edge, and they were out. at that point, I left the openings all day, added more banana boxes for them to hide in and let the adults watch them during the day. The fence came out a day later. my MIL was so impressed with the integration (she's had chickens for years and we got our 1st birds from her) that she installed a screen door on the inner coop (where the babies were)at her place to start the integration of her babies (who are a week and a half older than mine) a full month earlier than she would have her usual way. That one was rougher than mine was, but MUCH smoother than hers usually is. Early see/no touch is great!
