Integrating chicks into flock at 4 weeks old.

[bruceha2000]

chicks need
95-100 degrees week 1
90- 95 week 2
80-90 week 3....this is all day and night.

They ABSOLUTELY do NOT need those ambient temperatures 24x7. Sad "old wives tale" that many believe, including me when I got my first chicks. I followed those temps in a bathroom until they were close to a month old. WAY TOO HOT IN THAT BATHROOM. Every batch since then has gone out to the barn with the Mama Heating Pad brooder or a broody hen at a couple of days old. Zorra did a great job raising 3 batches with help from Anais. Anais shepherded the other batch, Zorra wasn't broody at the right time.

What they do NEED is the ability to go into a warm environment when they get cold.

These one week old chicks are in the barn in the brooder area of the coop with their MHP, May 1, 2018. At that time of year the lows would be 50°F or less, highs very unlikely to approach 70°F. They slept in the "cave" at night but came and went as they pleased during the day.

And do you think the hen with these 1 week old chicks is providing ambient temps per the "required" values in a drafty old barn? June 16, 2015. That door goes into the brooder area of the coop from the barn alley.

Out in the alley on June 20 with Zorra (Black) and Anais

 

[Minky]

They ABSOLUTELY do NOT need those ambient temperatures 24x7. Sad "old wives tale" that many believe, including me when I got my first chicks. I followed those temps in a bathroom until they were close to a month old. WAY TOO HOT IN THAT BATHROOM. Every batch since then has gone out to the barn with the Mama Heating Pad brooder or a broody hen at a couple of days old. Zorra did a great job raising 3 batches with help from Anais. Anais shepherded the other batch, Zorra wasn't broody at the right time.

What they do NEED is the ability to go into a warm environment when they get cold.

These one week old chicks are in the barn in the brooder area of the coop with their MHP, May 1, 2018. At that time of year the lows would be 50°F or less, highs very unlikely to approach 70°F. They slept in the "cave" at night but came and went as they pleased during the day.
View attachment 2498990

And do you think the hen with these 1 week old chicks is providing ambient temps per the "required" values in a drafty old barn? June 16, 2015. That door goes into the brooder area of the coop from the barn alley.
View attachment 2498992

Out in the alley on June 20 with Zorra (Black) and Anais
View attachment 2499013

Good to know! I have reduced the heat on my chicks. They sleep a lot less now! LOL

 

[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. How can move the chicls in with them without any injuries?

 

[aart]

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. How can move the chicls in with them without any injuries?

8 weeks old is too old and big for the technique in this thread....
...and so you might want to start a new thread here to get some advice.

But here's some tips about......
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together. Integration Basics:

It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[Auntiejessi3]

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. How can move the chicls in with them without any injuries?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/change-of-plans.1454019/

Here's what I did step by step with the help of some great folks on here. My littles were 6 weeks old when I got them, they will be 10 weeks this Thursday and everything has gone quite well

 

[PippinTheChicken]

It's my first time raising chicks and I really love them, I will find it hard not to shield and protect them as much as I used to- thanks so much for your help

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Don't know how to link threads but this might work:https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...hing-about-integration.1462197/#post-24351973
please take part

 

[TJAnonymous]

I have 8 chicks who will be 4 weeks old this coming weekend. Currently they are staying in the coop/pen with my Silkies. However, I would LIKE to integrate them with my standard flock which have their own pen/coop. My problem is that I don't have enough room to put all 8 chicks in a "See but can't touch" pen. I can do MAYBE 2-3 at a time, but not all 8. Sooo....in that case, would be better to simply wait until they are 8 weeks old and integrate the entire group of chicks? Or move 2-3 at a time into the big coop and integrate all of them in phases over a 3 week period?

Thoughts?

 

[azygous]

I have 8 chicks who will be 4 weeks old this coming weekend. Currently they are staying in the coop/pen with my Silkies. However, I would LIKE to integrate them with my standard flock which have their own pen/coop. My problem is that I don't have enough room to put all 8 chicks in a "See but can't touch" pen. I can do MAYBE 2-3 at a time, but not all 8. Sooo....in that case, would be better to simply wait until they are 8 weeks old and integrate the entire group of chicks? Or move 2-3 at a time into the big coop and integrate all of them in phases over a 3 week period?

Thoughts?

My thought is that if you lack the room in your run for a small enclosure for small chicks, your run isn't going to miraculously be big enough for all of the flock when the chicks get to full size. This may be your wake up call to enlarge your run. It's really the only way to make it safe for new chickens. They need room to evade bullies, find safe spots to relax and safe space for newly grown chicks to access their own food and water so as not to be bullied away from necessities.

 

[TJAnonymous]

My thought is that if you lack the room in your run for a small enclosure for small chicks, your run isn't going to miraculously be big enough for all of the flock when the chicks get to full size. This may be your wake up call to enlarge your run. It's really the only way to make it safe for new chickens. They need room to evade bullies, find safe spots to relax and safe space for newly grown chicks to access their own food and water so as not to be bullied away from necessities.

One of us is confusing RUN vs COOP. My RUN is plenty big enough. It's 132' x 35'. My COOP on the other hand is not big enough to separate out a brooder area for 8 chicks where everyone can see each other but not get to them. I have enough room in my coop to put a large dog crate (42-in L x 28-in W x 30-in H) which could be used to introduce 2-3 chicks at a time. I'm not super worried about them in the run itself because there are many places for them to hide and get away.