Full Integration started this morning

[Twoleggedmotherhen]

Congratulations and thanks for continuing the story. Sometimes it is that easy. Often the dominant rooster will act like your head hen is acting. Each chicken is an individual, you never can tell what will happen.

You tend to read about the ones gone bad, not the success stories like yours. We tend to give very conservative advice because it can go bad, we want everyone to have success. I'm really glad it has worked so well for you.

Thank You, I have read so many bad ones. But the tips on integrating was so helpful. I believe the month of see & no touch, then a month of see and able to touch really helped make this go so smooth. Along with Lily acting like mommy.
They differently have different personalities. Dahlia(EE) is our butthead(one in every family) , Carnation (Brahma) is the shy, don't touch me girl. Lily(Plymouth Rock) is vocal especially when she sees me. She wants treats and she will come up to me and squat for pets. Henny & Penny (Golden Comets Chicks) are following Lily's actions. They will even stand on the ramp of the little coop and peek over the top to see if I am there.

 

[Twoleggedmotherhen]

Thank You all for the words of encouragement. It was through many of your tips on other threads of integration that made me confident and not make the mistake of having trap areas, no hiding places, several feeders & waterers. So PLEASE know your feedbacks are very informative. I am forever grateful and thankful for all the great advice and help.
Naturally I was nervous about integration, but had to put it at the back of my mind and keep calm. Animals are good at picking up on emotions. Introducing new dogs to in the home with the ones we already have, I learned to control the emotions.
I was ready to intervene if it got bad. But being calm I think helped keep everyone calm.
Only one that showed anxiety was the 12 pound Chihuahua(big boy) He thinks the chicks are his. He whined when they got further away. Silly boy. He is protective of the chickens. Every night he has to go out and make sure they are ok in the coops (big coop he jumps up in the lawn chair, 8 ft away and looks at them on the roost, hardware cloth window is 15x31, with the light on he can see them real good).

 

[Sg4]

Yay! I just fully integrated my babies into the flock 2 weeks ago. Took about 3 days to really establish the new order. I love watching them play together and interact. Makes me a proud mama! congrats on your successful day!!

 

[Twoleggedmotherhen]

Yay! I just fully integrated my babies into the flock 2 weeks ago. Took about 3 days to really establish the new order. I love watching them play together and interact. Makes me a proud mama! congrats on your successful day!!

Thank You and congrats to you too . This is day 3 for me. It's a great feeling !

 

[Twoleggedmotherhen]

Chicks have gone into the big coop several times today. Even saw them laying on the floor.
Chicks learned a lesson this afternoon. Lily went to go lay her egg. Chicks followed. She gave them a warning, they didn't listen. She corrected them. She gets cranky at egg laying time, the 2 other older hens won't go in when she is laying her egg. Guess she wants her privacy. They went to their hiding spot and sulked. After Lily laid her egg, everything went back to the way it has been.
Carnation was preening and I watched the chicks preening her backside. Right now everyone is laying in their dirt nests.
Removed the portable pen today. Was going to do it tomorrow evening, but figured might as well do it today and give clear run (except for the hiding places). Everybody seems happy with that removed.

 

[Twoleggedmotherhen]

Watched tonight at roosting time to see what was going to happen. Lily tried again to get the chicks in the big coop. Doing her soft clucks to encorage them. Then tried to herd them in. Looked like a round up going on. Chicks would split and go in different directions. Almost had them in a couple of times. Chicks ended up running into their coop. Lily gave up and went in and roosted. It was funny, had tears from laughing so hard.
I can imagine Lily going back in, saying damn kids.

 

[aart]

That's hilarious!
I don't think I've ever heard an integration scenario where the head hen was broody and tried to gather the newbies....especially with 12wo 'chicks'.
Are any of the other birds giving the newbies a hard time?

 

[Mrs. K]

You don't have to, but if you closed your chicks coop, they would go in the big girls coop. Eventually they will even if you don't. Mine have always wanted to roost in the nests, which will make a mess. I usually let them for a day or too, then block the nests off by setting milk jugs in them at night, taking the jugs out in the morning.

They are fun to watch!

 

[Twoleggedmotherhen]

That's hilarious!
I don't think I've ever heard an integration scenario where the head hen was broody and tried to gather the newbies....especially with 12wo 'chicks'.
Are any of the other birds giving the newbies a hard time?

They have seen them since they were 4 weeks old. Only I would have a weird head head . Nobody being mean. Just the normal I eat before you. But I had 4 dishes of food in there, added another one this morning making it 5 so that is minimal. There are 3 waterers.

 

[Twoleggedmotherhen]

You don't have to, but if you closed your chicks coop, they would go in the big girls coop. Eventually they will even if you don't. Mine have always wanted to roost in the nests, which will make a mess. I usually let them for a day or too, then block the nests off by setting milk jugs in them at night, taking the jugs out in the morning.

They are fun to watch!

I'm going to let them decide when they are ready to go to the big coop.