Integrating chicks and ensuring they get back to the coop at night...?

[Stacyoung13]

Chick food crumbles, especially the 20%, is fine for layers and roosters, I usually just feed everyone the chick food for the first 3 weeks. Then I switch to "All Flock" feed which is good for all, it does not contain the high calcium which "littles" and roosters don't need. When everyone is laying I go ahead and get some layer feed! Mostly everyone eats the same thing. I think now I'm going to stay with the All Flock feed. Yeah, all chickens live for treats. Today I gave mine some watermelon, they were in heaven! Next month they will get yogurt again! The only thing better than treats is . . . . . Dirt Bathing!

Try freezing the little fruit cups and giving to them.... my silkies LOVE it as a treat...especially when it’s 100+ here!!!

 

[ev-chicka]

Do the fence thing with their feed and water inside, something that the babies can fit through, but adults can’t.

Do the fence thing with their feed and water inside, something that the babies can fit through, but adults can’t.

Good idea! And what about the chicks eating the layers feed? It has too much calcium in it with the oyster shell...start them on just growers feed and have calcium on the side somehow?

 

[Stacyoung13]

Good idea! And what about the chicks eating the layers feed? It has too much calcium in it with the oyster shell...start them on just growers feed and have calcium on the side somehow?

I’ve never had a problem with the babies eating the adult feed. I use the bucket feeder and my babies can’t reach to eat. When they are big enough to reach, I take them off the baby feed. If they have their feed easily available they shouldn’t get into the adult feed very much. What type of feeder do you use?

 

[Chickengene]

I round mine up at dusk until they learn on their own. I generally integrate at 4-8 weeks depending on temperatures, and if my chicks are off heat. Don't wait too long. If they are bigger they will be seen as intruders instead of just someone's chicks. Size of the set up will dictate how easy or hard integration goes.

I don't understand all I know about this.
At six weeks, my twenty week old hens tried to kill the young'uns.
My neighbor's six or seven week old chicks killed his two four weeks old chicks.
I have just started allowing my 15 weeks old pullets and one cockeral to free range with the older gals, and occasionally have to step in when one or two of the hens corner a pullet in the small coop.
I am now debating wether to put them in the big coop at 16 or 20 weeks.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You do need to set chicks up correctly. They need ways to escape. Things to slip under or through that the bigger birds can't.

If the coop and run are smaller you will have problems. You also shouldn't rush the process. I pen chicks where they can be seen for a week or two, than I begin supervised mingling for another week. It can take 4-8 weeks to safely integrate chicks to where I feel comfortable leaving everyone together.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I don't understand all I know about this.
At six weeks, my twenty week old hens tried to kill the young'uns.
My neighbor's six or seven week old chicks killed his two four weeks old chicks.
I have just started allowing my 15 weeks old pullets and one cockeral to free range with the older gals, and occasionally have to step in when one or two of the hens corner a pullet in the small coop.
I am now debating wether to put them in the big coop at 16 or 20 weeks.

A big part of doing early integration is having the space and set up so that the chicks have areas they can escape to that are 100% not accessible by the older birds. In your neighbor's case that was going to be tough as their older birds weren't that much older so making safe, tiny openings that only fit younger chicks was going to be difficult.

The chickens also need time to acclimate to each other. For example how long did your older birds see (but not have access to) the chicks before you tried to introduce them to each other? I'd say at least a week is needed, maybe likely 2 or even 3, because the older birds are naturally going to want to check out the younger ones. Once they do get access to one another, you WILL see the older ones chase around the younger ones, which is where having obstacles and hiding spots and multiple feeders come into play. Do not intervene unless birds are being attacked to the point of injury or being chased away from all food and water.

 

[Chickengene]

Thanks

You do need to set chicks up correctly. They need ways to escape. Things to slip under or through that the bigger birds can't.

If the coop and run are smaller you will have problems. You also shouldn't rush the process. I pen chicks where they can be seen for a week or two, than I begin supervised mingling for another week. It can take 4-8 weeks to safely integrate chicks to where I feel comfortable leaving everyone together.

The problem is the babies are now almost as big as the older ladies.
I guess they would eventually defend themselves, surely.