How long before you introduce new chicks to the flock

[rosemarythyme]

How do I make a pop door?

I assume you mean a chick door? A pop door is the chicken entrance/exit in a coop.

For chick/panic doors, it really depends on your set up. I've seen them made from cardboard, wood... but I use chicken wire, and a wire closet shelf.

Chicken wire version: make a fence, prop it up on bricks (not propped up here but you can see the bricks). That makes gaps high enough to fit chicks up to about 8 weeks old.

Wire closet shelf: this only works for me because the roof of my brooder has ridges that the shelf can "hook" onto for stability. The openings created are about 2-3" wide, maybe?

 

[jreardon1918]

Here is how we did it. The brooder had removable doors that were chick size. The full size hens could not get in. The chicks could explore and escape. We had them on three sides of this brooder. Worked great.

 

[3KillerBs]

Wire closet shelf: this only works for me because the roof of my brooder has ridges that the shelf can "hook" onto for stability. The openings created are about 2-3" wide, maybe?

This is a great idea! I have multiple wire shelves and plenty of blocks and bricks. I have the 4, month-old chicks in temporary accommodations inside the electric net with the adults around them.

But first I'll have to put the plastic hardware cloth inner liner up so they can't just go through the netting and get them reliably going into their temporary coop at night.

 

[ReelFaster]

Some awesome information here, thank you!

I am beginning this as we speak. I have two 7 week old speckled sussex's that officially moved out of the house this morning. I have them in a temp run adjacent to the main run separating them from the 3 fully grown hens. I even built a mini coop with a ramp that I hope they adopt to sleep in at night. I plan on doing this for 2-3 weeks so they get use to each other. I'll put down some food & cracked corn which they love daily along the gate that separates them.

When I fully integrate them in a few weeks I plan on adding another perch in the run area, another waterer and feeder, and some obstacles like a large box I have which I cut out some openings that only the smaller pullets can access. I can also make an opening to the separate run that only they can access to run for protection. I am hoping all the above will help mitigate the pecking. While testing this out last week one of the chicks jumped the box into the main run and it wasn't long before one of the hens went after it and pecked her a few times. I know this is normal but that hen is usually so darn sweet.

 

[DoxonFarms]

How do I make a pop door?

I used side cutters on the hardwire cloth, to cut out the hole. To close it it is 2 peices of scrap wood big enough to cover the hole it's janky but it works.

 

[AntiqueB]

I'm in the midst of this, too, with an almost-month-old. These are great ideas. Does anyone have a problem with the chicks finding their safe place, though? I'm worried my baby won't know where to go, or does it even matter, as they have a yard to roam in, with many shrubs and plants around? I only have 2 older chickens, and my one baby.

Usually, I go out with the baby to keep an eye on her with the big girls, but I've noticed she sometimes hides in plants (they all roam the yard), then jumps out at the big ones, trying to peck them! Whatever the reason for the strategy, one girl does seem to give the baby a wide berth.

 

[jreardon1918]

I'm in the midst of this, too, with an almost-month-old. These are great ideas. Does anyone have a problem with the chicks finding their safe place, though? I'm worried my baby won't know where to go, or does it even matter, as they have a yard to roam in, with many shrubs and plants around? I only have 2 older chickens, and my one baby.

Usually, I go out with the baby to keep an eye on her with the big girls, but I've noticed she sometimes hides in plants (they all roam the yard), then jumps out at the big ones, trying to peck them! Whatever the reason for the strategy, one girl does seem to give the baby a wide berth.

I think a 4 week old would be easy prey free ranging. As stated above, brooding in a secure run works very well. The article @aart referenced was our guide. Do you have an enclosed run? The chicks got an occasional peck. but were fast enough to stay safe. With three escape doors into the brooder, they did great. With no fuss they had largely abandoned the brooder by 7 weeks old.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I'm in the midst of this, too, with an almost-month-old. These are great ideas. Does anyone have a problem with the chicks finding their safe place, though? I'm worried my baby won't know where to go, or does it even matter, as they have a yard to roam in, with many shrubs and plants around? I only have 2 older chickens, and my one baby.

Anytime I add/change anything, I make the babies use it while I supervise. With chick doors, for example, I'll herd them in and out so they see exactly where the openings are, and then I step back and watch how they do without me "hand holding." They learn pretty fast where safe spots are.