HELP! Added New Pullets to an exisitng flock

[aart]

I snuck the babies into the big coop at about 11pm last night. The babies went kicking and screaming (who said chickens go comatose at night?) but the hens didn't seem to mind. We've been leaving the pop door open during the summer (predator safe run) so they were able to get out when they needed to. I haven't been down there yet to check if the cockerel has been beaten to a pulp but so far everything is quiet. I can see and hear the coop from the 2nd floor bathroom window of my house and everything appears to be normal....I can actually hear someone clucking out her laying song as I type!
I wonder what will happen tonight? Will the babies automatically go into the big coop or do I need to keep placing them I there after dark?

I'd keep an eye on them all day and especially will be interesting to see what happens at roosting time tonite.

How old are the 'babies'?

 

[nab58]

The babies are about 12 weeks (born mid May).

I removed the small hutch/coop they've been sleeping in/on in their grow out pen and replaced it with a roost and leaned a screen up against the wall for them to hide under just in case.

 

[aart]

The babies are about 12 weeks (born mid May).

I removed the small hutch/coop they've been sleeping in/on in their grow out pen and replaced it with a roost and leaned a screen up against the wall for them to hide under just in case.

That's still pretty small.......I waited until 18-24 weeks to let them in with the oldsters and most are still smaller than most the adults.

 

[nab58]

They're actually almost as big as the 6 red sex link hens.

I spied on them as they went into roost tonight. The babies hid around the corner until the hens settled in on their roost in the coop. Once the hens were settled in, they immediately hopped into the run and tried to roost in their grow-out pen which is just a section of the run (caged but exposed to the elements). They couldn't settle in or were waiting for the hens to settle down in the coop. One by one, they very quetly filed into the coop. I couldn't tell if they roosted on their lower roost but all was quiet and dusk fell!
I am so impressed that after only once being carried into the coop, they figured it out and it was peaceful.
Thank you so much BYC!! Great advice and support!!!!

 

[nab58]

The grow out pen

Reese,the cockerel

Sugar and Oreo, the pullets

Some pics of the 'babies'.....

 

[zogster]

just to update...after several weeks, it looks like things have settled down quite a bit. I added some branches to the extended run and that did the trick. the new brood used the branches as a hiding space, while they all figured out the pecking order. I think the key to this is giving the chicks enough room to run from the hens and hiding places so they feel safe enough to call the coop home.

Thank you to all that helped me through this.