Help!! Integration of chicks with hen

[Kimberly Longley]

Hi guys,

We lost one of our hens yesterday () and my remaining one ( we only had two hens) has never been alone and I feel horrible for her. We have 8 chicks in the brooder that are 6 or 7 weeks old today (unsure of age as they were given to us by my sons school and they didn't know either), they are all feathered out other than a spot here or there, mainly on the head, that havent fully feathered. My question is this, do you think my hen would welcome the little ones more easily now that she is alone and do you think they are big enough to be moved out? The brooder is currently around 70 degrees and they are comfortable and actually take any chance they can to fly out and explore the house. I have never integrated chickens before so this part is 100% new to me, I know you are supposed to do it while they are roosting at night but I would hate to move them out and lose them to the cold (I live in NH and nights can drop down to 40's). My hen is very sweet and has never once been aggressive but I don't want her to assert her place and hurt or kill a chick either. Sorry for the long post but I am a sad chicken momma right now!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Put them in a look but don't touch set up for a while if you haven't already so she can see them and get used to them. After a few days to a week of that THEN I do the stick them in the coop at night thing to wake up together in the morning.

Yes, recently disrupted and decreased flocks are often more willing to integrate with others. Really depends on the individual.

So sorry for your loss.

ETA: Cut your heat now, they should be fine and you should not have an issue loosing them to cold. They will huddle together (probably not roost yet).

 

[aart]

Sorry for your loss, predator or disease?

My hen is very sweet and has never once been aggressive but I don't want her to assert her place and hurt or kill a chick either.

They can be sweet to humans and hatch mates, until they see an interloper(the new 'strange' birds) in their territory, then you might see another side of 'sweetie'.

How big is your coop and run, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would help.
Lots of different ways to integrate birds, but keeping them side by side separated by wire for a weeks can make things go much more smoothly once they have physical access to one another.

Are the chicks in the house with a heat lamp?
They should be off heat now, open a window in the brooder room to acclimate them to cooler temps, they have plenty of feathers to withstand 40'sF.

Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

 

[Paulaaswan]

I just lost a 3 month old chick, the older hens pecked her to death while she was hiding. I took the other 2 chicks out. I guess i should have read your reply first. I have them in a pen that is 12ft x 12ft. and plenty of places to hide. But the older hens did not like the new chicks. So i have turkeys next to the chickens in another pen. Would it be safe to put the chicks in there? As you can see the turkeys have a lot of space. I also have two 3 week old turkeys, when can i introduce them to the older turkeys. I have them in a separate hen House.

ks.