I need to know everything ABOUT INTEGRATION

[PippinTheChicken]

Hi! I have 3 chicks and they will be moving out in 2 weeks, they will be 8 weeks old by then! I have 2 hens. They aren't really aggressive but I want it to all go as well as it cab. How can move the chicks in with them without any injuries?
I need to know everything! Do they need to be confined at first or give them more space to meet each other in the garden, free-ranging? What time of day is the best? Anything will help!!!!!

 

[Aapomp831]

Hi! I have 3 chicks and they will be moving out in 2 weeks, they will be 8 weeks old by then! I have 2 hens. They aren't really aggressive but I want it to all go as well as it cab. How can move the chicks in with them without any injuries?
I need to know everything! Do they need to be confined at first or give them more space to meet each other in the garden, free-ranging? What time of day is the best? Anything will help!!!!!

I use the see but can’t touch method... typically a piece of chicken wire does the trick. They get used to each other through the chicken wire.

 

[MadamContrary]

Agreed, look but no touch for at least a week, two is better. I had to integrate three groups of bird this year and it worked well. The more familiar they are with each other the better. If the new chicks are moving in with the hens the best advice I was given was to have lots of areas for the chicks to hide and evade the other birds and to make sure you are present when they have their first face to face. Ideally everyone would move into a new area together so no one has territorial claims but, I know that's not always possible.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I kept mine confined in their safe house for a little over a week then propped the door open so they could come and go but the big girls couldn't get to them. Do you have pics of your current set up? Coop/run

 

[PippinTheChicken]

I kept mine confined in their safe house for a little over a week then propped the door open so they could come and go but the big girls couldn't get to them. Do you have pics of your current set up? Coop/run

I can get pics of the run in a second, the chicks are playing in it now, whilst the hens are free-ranging. I have a small coop designed for 6 chickens, and a large enclosure for when I'm not home

 

[PippinTheChicken]

 

[PippinTheChicken]

 

[Auntiejessi3]

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You could set up a large dog crate in the run for the littles and put chicken wire up so they have their own space but the bigs can't touch them

 

[Auntiejessi3]

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Oh they're silkies, what kind of chicks did you get?

 

[DogsAndChicks123]

what I did when I had to integrate my chickens I put them in a large puppy playpen and placed that in my coop run.Ithen had a dog crate that I put inside the coop and I put the chicks in there at night.With in a week they were all okay there were a couple feathers lost but that’s what happens hopethis helps