Integrating chicks into flock at 4 weeks old.

[bruceha2000]

That should do it! They can get food when the bigs don't want to share and have somewhere to run and hide if needed. I'm still putting feed in the little's feeder in the brooder area in the coop. That way they can eat in the morning before I open the barn without having to fight the adults at the feeder in the alley.

 

[aart]

There is now a 1x4 around the legs

So did you remove the floor in there?
How about new pics of the improvements?

 

[chickfused]

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.

 

[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]

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, 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?

 

[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.

 

[Jojosine]

I've got two separate broods hatching now and was thinking of letting the chicks mingle in a week's time, but the moms can only see each other and each other's chicks but not reach. There is also fencing separating all from the main flock.

Do you think this is the best way to let them get used to each other?

And from what age could I let all young ones + mothers integrate into the main flock?
There is plenty of space for everyone to get out of the way.

 

[loulusea]

Much more agitation, aggression, and defensive actions on the part of the existing flock when chicks are NOT brooded in coop.
I think the real key is the size of the chicks, smaller newbies are less threatening to the existing adult flock.
But the general principles of integration....a 'see no touch' period, lots of space, multiple feed/water stations, places to 'hide'....still all apply.


Not sure about this....my take on this technique is about much younger chicks(4 weeks) that were fully sharing the main space with adult birds by 6 weeks.
It's also about brooding IN the coop by one week old, and doesn't include multiple age groups of chicks(been there, done that, won't do it again).
I also have a pretty large coop(~125 sqft) and runs(500sqft).

Hi, I have a couple week old chicks and a 2 week old chicks. Can I still add two more baby chicks to their brooder? Or is it too late?