Guess I'm doing 2 batches this year .. Integration issues with younger birds?

[Doc7]

As many know I use the MHP and integrate with hens at about 18-20 days of age. The 3 week old chicks have been with the hens now for 5 days - they can go to their side via panic doors any time they want but I basically only see them with the hens since a few hours after opening, they are always on the floor of the hen coop or chilling on the hens' roost bar.

Anyway, with my Easter Egger recently being culled, andme having room for 10 birds but having 8 right now with one to be culled this coming October, I don't see why I would go down to 7 until spring and not have 10 laying birds until the following fall. Therefore I have ordered 3 x Cream Legbars June 1 hatch date to replace the EE and bring my flock to 11 (7 will be not laying until fall, 3 one year olds, and 1 older hen to be culled this fall).

Most likely I will be integrating these chicks again at 18-20 days although I can push it as late as 25-28, but really want them in by June 27th so I am sure everything is good to go for a vacation starting on July 7. I don't think my chick doors will be very effective with the older chicks.

That means at integration time I will have 4 hens, 4 8-9 week olds, and 3 3-4 week olds. Are the 8-9 week olds likely to be a terror to the 3-4 week olds?

 

[casportpony]

@centrarchid or @Shadrach, can you help?

 

[Shadrach]

@centrarchid or @Shadrach, can you help?

Nope. The hens do all that stuff here. I keep a free range self replicating closed flock.

 

[centrarchid]

Everyone will harass the 3-4 week old chicks. Hens will be the only ones harassing the 8-9 week old chicks.

The arrangement you have is a bit hard to understand, but I would do as follows. Pen the smaller birds roughly where you want them to roost for a few days. Then make so older juveniles interact with chicks through smaller pen without hurting the latter.

The details most important to me relating to size and what the larger coop looks like are not described. I do introductions not unlike described multiple times per year. Either big are introduced to small or I make so no body on home turf and I really jumble everything up my adding an adult rooster to mix at same time. Rooster moderates aggression of most aggressive other birds.

 

[Doc7]

Everyone will harass the 3-4 week old chicks. Hens will be the only ones harassing the 8-9 week old chicks.

The arrangement you have is a bit hard to understand, but I would do as follows. Pen the smaller birds roughly where you want them to roost for a few days. Then make so older juveniles interact with chicks through smaller pen without hurting the latter.

The details most important to me relating to size and what the larger coop looks like are not described. I do introductions not unlike described multiple times per year. Either big are introduced to small or I make so no body on home turf and I really jumble everything up my adding an adult rooster to mix at same time. Rooster moderates aggression of most aggressive other birds.

currently - the 3.5 week olds have access to both runs and both coops, as there is a divider between them that only a chick can fit through. 4 hens have only access to coop and run that are on the right/back of this image.

On or about June 3rd, the (then 5.5 week olds) will be locked out of the left most coop and run as I close the chick doors and raise up another 3 chicks in the left most coop. at about 3 weeks old, they, as well as the then 8.5 week olds, will have access to both coops/both runs. Another 2 weeks after that and chick doors removed and all birds have access to both coops both runs.

 

[centrarchid]

View attachment 2154122

currently - the 3.5 week olds have access to both runs and both coops, as there is a divider between them that only a chick can fit through. 4 hens have only access to coop and run that are on the right/back of this image.

On or about June 3rd, the (then 5.5 week olds) will be locked out of the left most coop and run as I close the chick doors and raise up another 3 chicks in the left most coop. at about 3 weeks old, they, as well as the then 8.5 week olds, will have access to both coops/both runs. Another 2 weeks after that and chick doors removed and all birds have access to both coops both runs.

That should present minimal problems in introduction procedure. Boxes are a little tight, for me to get into.