*HELP* TRYING TO INTEGRATE!!!

[Don 27]

Another problem is the new chicks are 2and one half of a month old. It looks like you have isa Brown's and other big chicken breeds . 2and a half moth old chicks are going to have a hard time establishing them selves in a flock with a bunch of older biger chickens. I would wait longer before trying to incorporate them .

 

[Lizzy733]

How many feed stations are there? They will be worried about resources as well. Places to escape are important - if the babies are too large to provide cover the adults can't use, simply providing tunnels to break line of sight will be helpful. Two pallets nailed together in a triangle make a fine temporary tunnel - as does a piece of ply leaned against a fence.
Meetings on neutral ground are also useful. Are the big girls rushing the chicks as soon as they notice them while free-ranging, or do they tend to leave them alone until they've moved into the same area?
Distracting the others with a treat or new items in their environment will divert their attention. New perches, ramps or swings... leaf or grass-cutting piles... I managed my chick integration with a broody and chicks at 3 weeks old... they will still put the babies in their place and occasionally go for them - this is just their nature, but it should be over quickly and the chicks shouldn't get more than a scratch at worst. If you're seeing feathers getting plucked or serious blood being drawn, it's not time yet.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

you and me both there Blue I have darndest time of it

Cute seasonal avatar, @penny1960 !

 

[BigBlueHen53]

you and me both there Blue I have darndest time of it

Lol. We'll just shuffle off to Buffalo together, you n me, Sister. We'll make it okay!

 

[Don 27]

Lol. We'll just shuffle off to Buffalo together, you n me, Sister. We'll make it okay!

 

[aart]

So thus far no help. My chickens have 10 acres to go around in. They only go in the coop at night to sleep. Mixed with by the time winter comes we will only have 4 chickens so it will be perfectly fine come Winter when they will be more in the coop. I'm talking outside while free ranging but glad everyone is more concerned about the coop then any advice .

Get rid of the other birds now. It will make your integration easier.

Despite your 10 acres, the coop/run size is a concern, and that does apply to your integration problems. Even 4 birds in that tiny coop thru a Michigan winter is going to be tough.

But here's some tip about .....
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.

 

[SW31]

I followed Aarts advice and it worked very well. It took several months to get them to operate as one flock and we let them come together at their own speed. The older Sussex took the two new Sussex under her wing, so to speak. She made it very clear who was in charge. The older maroon took the new little ‘nutter’ under her wing.

 

[ChickNanny13]

So thus far no help. My chickens have 10 acres to go around in. They only go in the coop at night to sleep. Mixed with by the time winter comes we will only have 4 chickens so it will be perfectly fine come Winter when they will be more in the coop. I'm talking outside while free ranging but glad everyone is more concerned about the coop then any advice .

Think the OP gave up on us

 

[sourland]

Another problem is the new chicks are 2and one half of a month old. It looks like you have isa Brown's and other big chicken breeds . 2and a half moth old chicks are going to have a hard time establishing them selves in a flock with a bunch of older biger chickens. I would wait longer before trying to incorporate them .

In addition to the space issue this is indeed a factor.

 

[doublecrossranch]

I’m slowly integrating my 5 and 6 week old chicks. I started with them in the brooder at night and a play yard during the day. They also had some supervised interaction time. Last night was their first night in the coop grow out brooder. I divided the run last week because they needed some freedom. I’m going to start giving them more mix time. Now I just need to figure out how to get them in the coop. LOL