Integrating chicks into flock at 4 weeks old.

[aart]

No, I just put a 1x4 around the legs, they can go under their sleeping quarters now. In fact, these will probably be their new sleeping quarters if we don't have a bloodbath tonight.

How big is the gap you've created?
Not much room under there for them.......should open access to the pen overhead so they have feed and water and ventilation.

 

[chickfused]

There's plenty of room, and they'll have food and water and a fan. The floor above them is hardware cloth with pine shavings, it's not plastic or anything.

 

[chickfused]

OK. Everyone has met on the coop floor, and the bigs couldn't have cared less. Only one hen left to intro and she's the one I worry about the most. She's a good 6-7 pounds, Red Ranger unit. I can't get her off the roost without risk of injury to one of us.

Had to dig the sand out some, the biggest pullet was having trouble getting under the board. She's good now. The door is on manual.

Everyone is having a drink/eat/sleep in that order. We'll see how things look in the morning.

 

[chickfused]

Well, happy to report, the "who cares?" continued up through this morning and everyone was out on the coop floor with no hostilities at all. One big pullet halfheartedly chased a few of the littles and gave them a warning peck (the one where they clearly have absolutely no intention of making contact) and that was it. Both groups kept to themselves, though I get the feeling the bigs think the littles are part of their group. They don't go very far away from them while the littles are in their outdoor pen anymore. Nearly always within eyesight for 70% of the day or so. The littles explored flying up on things and eating out of the big girl feeders once the bigs went outside for the day and then out they went to their pen. They also clearly already know how to use the coop ramp and door, even though I had the door shut.

 

[bruceha2000]

Sounds like you are all set!
When there is food thrown about all my chickens get in the fray, no problems. The littles are still sticking together as a small flock within a flock. And they still have their "protected" part of the roost so the bigs (1 or 2 in particular) don't give them grief.

Penelope, in that past, has actually made an effort to go over to where prior littles were roosting just to give them a peck and shove before going back to another part of the roosting area. There is no reason for it, they have almost 40' of roost all at 4' high.

 

[chickfused]

The littles are just sleeping in the open on the coop floor tonight and haven't gone to their protected area at all. Bigs are roosting. No one's fussing.

 

[chickfused]

Well, this morning didn't go so smoothly. There was a lot of chasing of the littles and determined pecking. My rooster really went after one and may have had serious intent. I had to shoo him away from it and give him a smack.

My biggest pullet got a good enough peck in on one that she was spitting out feathers, but the little didn't have any real damage.

The littles didn't run under their hutch. They just ran into corners and tried to hide :\

This was hard, but I'm not sure I should be worried?

 

[bruceha2000]

Odd that the littles didn't head for cover. And apparently the rooster hasn't yet accepted them as one of his flock to protect. If he did I think he would give the hens what for when they peck the littles. I'm afraid I have no experience with that, no roosters.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The littles didn't run under their hutch. They just ran into corners and tried to hide :\

I assume this issue was entirely inside the coop? Or did it spill out into the yard as well?

Coop only is tricky, unless you have so much space inside that you can put additional clutter inside, the chicks are going to have to learn to remember to run to their covered area each time they feel threatened.

If some of this kerfluffle was outside, then, even though you free range, some additional clutter near the coop area could help give the chicks multiple options to take cover behind.

 

[chickfused]

It was in the coop. There's crap everywhere for them to to run in/around/under/behind outside. One of the littles went outside today and Roux went after it outside. He's not messing around either, I think he legitimately wants to kill it though it hasn't been harmed either time. It's one that I haven't been entirely sure is a pullet, and this really has me wondering. Same little both times... I should see how he does with the other 4... It's odd though, he doesn't hate it enough to come down off the roost for it at night. It's just in the morning he hates it.