I integrated 2 flocks, but no progress is being made

[lablover]

I have 1 flock of 5 hens and a roo that is over a year old. This spring I bought 3 chicks to eventually add to the big flock. The chicks are 3 months old, and live in their own chicken tractor. It faces the big coop, and both coops have a run attached to them. So, the chicks have only been separated from the big chickens by a fence that separates the runs. Well, a few days ago I turned the babies lose, and nothing happened. They run from the big ones and stay very close to their coop. A few big hens attack the babies, but nothing bad yet as the babies keep their distance. They have yet to go explore the big coop, but the big chickens frequently invade the chicken tractor. At this rate, the babies seem like they will never join the others as they truly do not need them. What can I do?

 

[lablover]

I'm just bumping this up because I really don't know what to do. The babies hand around their coop all day. The big ones pass by several times since their coop is right there also. The babies run and hide, and show no interest in ever wanting to be with them.

 

[smedly9921]

They are still young, I would keep up what you are doing for a another week or so then at night when every one is asleep add the babies to the main coop. They will have to go threw the standard pecking order routine but that should not be to bad cause the older chickens have started to have exposure to them.

 

[themenagerie]

I successfully integrate chicks on a regular basis, and I usually start at about 6 weeks. I use a wire dog kennel and put them within the pen during the day for about 2 weeks. Then I open it up, but set it along the wall, so only the babies can fit in and out but the adults can't,. This gives them a safe place they can get to if they need to. After a couple of weeks, I remove the baby pen. By this point, the pecking by the adults has been reduced and the babies are acclimated to the adults and know how to stay out of the way. I usually have to round them up at night for the first few days & put them in the grown up coop, but they figure it out on their own in a couple of days. I average around 40-50 birds. I only buy breeds that are considered non aggressive and do well in mixed flocks, and I rotate out the older birds on a yearly basis, so mine are pretty used to birds coming and going..