Hi everyone! I really need ideas for cluttering my chicken run! I am integrating two chicks in with my existing flock and I read that there should be clutter in the run while they are getting used to each other. Thanks everyone!
Help with ideas for cluttering a run:
- Thread starter Traffie Chickens
- Start date
Pallets leaned against a wall. Outdoor chairs flipped upside down. Really no limit to what can be done; just don't create a space where the new ones could become trapped/cornered. Ideally, give areas where their smaller size can slip through or just break the line of sight so they're not seen as easily.
MamaPoult
It's not a compound, it's a fortress.
I use old kennels and a few plastic igloo dog houses I have laying around.
This is assuming that they have had a week or so of look no touch before trying to intermingle.
How old are the chicks and have the been in sight of the existing flock(number and ages)?
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/
- Thread starter
- #6
Yes they have been in a (look-no touch) situation for about 5 weeks and I have been having the hardest time integrating the (2, 12 week old chicks in with our 4 red stars and 3 pearl white leghorn hens that are about a year and 3 months old. Half of the flock is fine with the chicks being around, but the other half is very aggressive towards them, (the red stars are the aggressive ones)
What kind of behavior are you witnessing?
In that kind of scenario, it can help to separate the aggressive birds for a while, it kind of "demotes" them. If there's enough room, they could go in the juveniles area while the juvies go in with the nice birds. After a couple weeks the juveniles will be part of the flock and the reds will be the newbies. Although there are some birds that will always be mean, a big reason why temperament is one of the most important things to me. If you're not attached, you could just rehome the reds and steer clear of RIR / related breeds in the future.
Sequoia Raven Bird Farms
Sing the song of your soul 🎶 ✨️
I like making little teepees from sticks and branches (by screwing them together), but you could just place some brush in a pile in a way for a tunnel to form. Birds love getting branches 
. Perhaps leaning some chemical free pallets or plywood against a wall would create a hiding spot. It depends on what you have around lol. Stumps, buckets, wooden boxes, tarps, or basically anything that breaks up the clear view. In winter I made a giant snow-mountain in the middle of the run so it obstructed their clear view. Other than that basically anything would work good luck!
Or you could create a "portal" for the chicks which is basically just a small hole that the chicks can get through, but the big ladies can't. You could use a wooden box for that or a dog cage with a small entrance or anything! Have fun
For more information on the 'chick portal' I recommend an article called "Reasons to throw out you Indoor Brooder and raise chicks outside" or something like that.
. Perhaps leaning some chemical free pallets or plywood against a wall would create a hiding spot. It depends on what you have around lol. Stumps, buckets, wooden boxes, tarps, or basically anything that breaks up the clear view. In winter I made a giant snow-mountain in the middle of the run so it obstructed their clear view. Other than that basically anything would work good luck!Or you could create a "portal" for the chicks which is basically just a small hole that the chicks can get through, but the big ladies can't. You could use a wooden box for that or a dog cage with a small entrance or anything! Have fun
For more information on the 'chick portal' I recommend an article called "Reasons to throw out you Indoor Brooder and raise chicks outside" or something like that.
12 weeks is a pretty big bird, harder to integrate than tiny chicks.
How big is your coop and run, in feet by feet?
Is the look no touch occupied 24/7 by the youngers?
Pics of your set up might help garner viable suggestions.
Meanwhile, this might help....
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.
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