Getting two 9 month old hens to add to my flock....questions....

[ddmiddle7]

OK so here a few pictures of my backyard....and the chickens getting to meet each other through the fence. I really wanted to keep them separated from each other for a month. But with the space restraints in my yard I couldn't. Like I said I have known these chickens for months and have never seen any issues with them.
In the pictures you can see how close I have the chickens housed...I couldn't do it any other way. So I took the chances of skipping the isolation times and let them free range together during the day, and both groups put themselves to sleep in their own coops. Every now and then the big girls will take a peck at the younger ones, but nothing too major. I do plan on keeping the two groups seperate for at least another month or so, until the younger girls get closer to the same size as the older girls. Do you all think that allowing them to free range together for a month or so will successfully integrate them? I did notice them chasing the younger girls out of certain areas, if they decided that spot was for them. But in yesterdays heat I did find them all relaxing in the shade together and not messing with one another so hopefully it works out and I can put them all in the same coop sometime in August.

Any suggestions to help the integration process go smoother or quicker? Anything I should be doing that I am not, or worse yet anything i am doing that I shouldn't be doing?

Thanks,
Dereck

 

[hencam]

If they're already free-ranging together, and they are comfortable with each other, there's no reason to keep them separate - unless for some reason they're getting different feed, such as one group is getting chick feed and the other layer. If there's communicable diseases, they'll communicate them... if there was going to be bloodshed, it'd happen. Just make sure you have two feeders and waterers apart from each other so there's no fighting over food. And make sure you have enough roosts so everyone can find their own space and comfort level.

 

[ddmiddle7]

So, you think I should go ahead and allow them into the coop with the other girls? I spend most of my afternoon watching the girls in the backyard interact with each other and they seem to just stay away from each other. The younger girls are afraid of the older two, except my Black Australorps, she doesn't seem to be intimidated with them. She is always the last to run away when they come near. And she seems to be the one of the five younger girls to kinda hangout on her own more. The other four generally are all together most of the day.

If I do put them in together, I need to get started on a new roost. As my original one is probably too high for my BO to get up to, it is 24 inches tall. I think I am going to make a double ladder style roost, each four feet long. How low should I make the lower roost for the BO to get on? Should I make the higher roost 5 foot long and the lower one 3 foot long? I don't think the others will use the lower roost as much since they are all used to the 24" high roost already. I dunno...


Thanks,
Dereck

 

[ddmiddle7]

Also, one other question...if I have a nipple waterer in the coop with four nipples should I still provide a separate waterer for them? I have it all set up just have to glue it together and fill it up. I have four in the coop and four under the coop all ran off of one 5 gallon bucket hanging on the backside of the coop.

 

[ddmiddle7]

I found two eggs in the younger girls coop today after I noticed my BO coming out of the coop when I went out to get a head count after dinner. She had just laid hers and the PR must have laid hers a bit earlier. They were just sitting there in the corner...

So I figured tonight I would close up the shed and see if they went in the coop with the younger girls all on their own. Guess what? They did! They went in about 20 min. after the little girls went to roost. They didn't roost though just cuddled up in the corner together. I kinda figured they would though as they haven't been using the roost in the shed either. My friend that had them didn't make them roost at night they all just slept lined up on the ramp I guess. So it is going to take some time getting them to roost every night, I think. Not to mention the single roost is 24 inches high and I know that my BO is not getting up there on her own. I put a cinder block on the floor for now and will work on a ramp tomorrow until I can make their second roost and raise the first one up a bit.

 

[hencam]

Wonderful!

 

[ddmiddle7]

So, I guess I should just keep the door to the shed for good now?

 

[DanEP]

DDmiddle your buff girl will not have a problem getting up on a 24 " roost mine do it every nite. I think the problem will be getting her to want to. If she's been sleeping on the ramp at her old home for 9 months it's just what she's used to and chickens are creatures of habbit.
I just got 2 black orpington pullets that are four months old and they had never slept in a coop before so they didn't want anything to do with going in that coop but had no problem flying up 4 feet to a 2x4 brace on the side of the run to sleep at nite so every nite it was grab the girls and take them in the coop and place them on the roost. After about aweek my patiance payed off and last nite they went in on their own for the first time,now we'll see if it happens again tonight.
Again don't worry about your buff getting up on a 2 ft roost if she wants to it will not be a problem.

Good Luck Dan

 

[ddmiddle7]

Well her wings have been clipped and I have yet to see her jump higher then about 12 inches since I've had her. Well I guess I will just leave the roost as it is for now and when I get a little time I will make the new roost for them. So, I guess I should keep putting them on the roost every night for a while and hopefully they will get the hang of it? I am hoping they follow the younger girls lead and try to roost with them.

Thanks,
Dereck