Integrating chicks into free range flock

[ForeverFactor]

I have 6 chicks that are about 5-6 weeks old now and have been raised in a brooder in in the coop with full visibility to the rest of the flock. I integrated my last group if chicks about that age and if went great but at the time my flock wasn't free range and I noticed that the new chicks would consistently huddle up outside in the run to sleep and I would have to move them into the coop. Now that I have everyone free ranging I'm concerned they might do the same thing but with much more risk to themselves and a lot more work for me to locate them and move them into the coop. Anybody have thoughts or experience with this? I would like to transition them to full flock membership as soon as I can so they can.

Thanks

 

[Ridgerunner]

Some of that might depend on what size and layout your coop is. Do they have room to sleep separately form the adults?

I think elevated coops present some challenges to the chicks going back inside too. Mine are pretty consistent in this. If I move them to my elevated grow-out coop they never want to go in at night, even if they are the only chickens there. The only reason I can think of as to why is that my brooder-raised chicks usually don't start roosting until they are 10 to 12 weeks old. Until they start roosting they seem to like sleeping in a low spot, which is practically always under the pop door. It's to that they can't get up there, they can easily fly that far if the want to. They just don't want to.

My brooder is in the main coop. The main coop is on the ground. When mine hit five weeks old I just open the brooder door. For a few years I'd free range them but after some dog attacks I enclosed them in electric netting. Still a lot of outside room. I never had a problem with them going back into the ground-level main coop at dark.

We all have unique facilities and each brood can be different, but I'd try it. If they don't go in on their own like mine do at my main coop I'd expect them to settle down for the night right next to it where they can be easy to catch when it gets dark.

 

[ForeverFactor]

Unfortunately the door is about a foot in a half off the ground but I did just put up a ramp that covers the width of the door. I guess I will just have to try and see what happens. Any thoughts on the time of day I should try to let them out? I think last time it was in the afternoon but my gut is saying a morning might be best since the rest of the flock is probably more interested in going out to explore and they don't want to stay in.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I just do it when it's most convenient to me, usually in the morning right after I open the pop door and let the adults out. Sometimes they chicks go right out but usually it can take a while, maybe even a coupe of days before they go out. That's what I mean by each group is different, some are outside within 15 minutes, some take three days.