Integrating chicks into flock at 4 weeks old.

[Annemade]

On April 25 or 26th Rural king is supposed to get Sapphire Gems. I would like 1 of them along with a red sex link and possibly an Orpinger. I know 1 chick is miserable so am going for 3. On May 12 I am getting a Welsummer, a Barnevelder, and a Cuco Maren. I am getting them from our local feed store. He only orders pullets. I currently have 6 Easter Eggers that give me beautiful blue and green eggs. Now looking for different shades of brown. I haven't had a rooster yet and really don't want one. Wish me luck, there is no way I could send on to the freezer, I would have to try to rehome. My coop is 8 x 10, and secured run is 10 x 12. I want to expand the run this summer.

 

[Minky]

Yeppers! All Flock is all I've ever fed.

Integrating the 2 groups of chicks may be a challenge...4 weeks is a pretty big age gap. It may go great, but be prepared to brood separately for a time and do some 'Chick Juggling'.

My farm store looked at me like I was nuts when I asked for an ALL FLOCK FEED. I had the choice of Starter, Grower, Layer. I called around to the 3 farm stores within an hour of where I live- they all said the same...

 

[Minky]

I have 9 chicks 1 week old (with mamma hen Feather Face) in my garage... and 4 chicks in my sunroom (in a brooder with heating pad)--they are 3wks, 4wks, 4wks, 5wks.
I want to integrate all of these birds(13 chicks) into my flock (5 hens and roo).
Today I took 4 chicks from momma and put them in a neutral pen with the 4 older chicks. It went great- no pecking, and the younger ones werent crying for momma or anything. They looked like they had lots of fun together with the big kids!! Tomorrow I will do the same, maybe with the other 5 baby chicks who didn't get a chance today. Then maybe Ill try all 13 chicks together!

My hope is that when I move the 9 chicks and momma to the barn on the weekend (night time temps are still below freezing, but its supposed to warm up on Friday --to above just zero finally...) that I can move the 4 older chicks into the "nursery" with Feather Face and her 9 chicks. They can fly pretty good, and I will give them some low roosts to get away from her. I am not worried they will peck on the little ones.

What do you guys think? Good idea? Bad idea? Crazy idea?

The nursery is right next to the main coop (shares a chicken wire wall). There is a trap door to join the two coops when I want, but eventually I'd like them all to move into the one coop.

 

[Blooie]

Grower is fine too. I used All Flock and Grower interchangeably...... it’s a 50 mile drive one way to the feed store so I bought whichever they had, or whichever was freshest.

 

[aart]

My farm store looked at me like I was nuts when I asked for an ALL FLOCK FEED. I had the choice of Starter, Grower, Layer. I called around to the 3 farm stores within an hour of where I live- they all said the same...

Well, asking farm store employees is often a exercise in futility, they often just don't know...unless you ask for a particular 'brand and model' IE: Purina Flock Raiser is what I use....20% protein and 1.something% calcium.

Grower is fine too.

Yes, so can Starter...depends on the nutrient levels, primarily protein and calcium.
Learn to read the nutrient percentages on the tags sewn into bottom of bags, this info is also provided online.

 

[gator75]

Glad I found this. I am currently integrating 3 six wk old pullets to 2 hens. Low girl on the totem is really making it tough on them. They won't go in the small door opening for safety, so I'm going to elevate their pen this afternoon and give it another shot. That should be much easier! Thanks for the tips.

 

[bruceha2000]

Same with my low girl last spring. She gets chased off by all the other hens so I guess she figured she could maintain that position and be above the chicks. They are almost a year old now and still run from her. For some time she was chasing them off the roosts at night even though they weren't near her and there is more than enough room for all. I guess that makes her higher in the pecking order but she has no friends.

 

[aart]

Glad I found this. I am currently integrating 3 six wk old pullets to 2 hens. Low girl on the totem is really making it tough on them. They won't go in the small door opening for safety, so I'm going to elevate their pen this afternoon and give it another shot. That should be much easier! Thanks for the tips.

If you read the article carefully,
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/
you will see that I make sure they understand the tiny doors before allowing them full access to the main coop.

Low bird in adult flock is almost always the 'meanest' during an integration...finally she has someone to beat on.

 

[gator75]

If you read the article carefully,
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/
you will see that I make sure they understand the tiny doors before allowing them full access to the main coop.

Low bird in adult flock is almost always the 'meanest' during an integration...finally she has someone to beat on.

The brooding pen has been in the coop/run for a couple weeks and the door is the one they always go in and out of. I keep it open enough for them to get into but not the hens when I let them comingle. They panic though and scramble and don't go to it. I think elevating would be much easier for them to get into. Going to give it a shot anyway. We'll see.

 

[blackdog043]

At 4 weeks I integrated from my coop brooder, with the panic door method. Now at 6 1/2 weeks, they are brave enough to go up on the roost board with the big girls for the night.