Integrating chicks with existing hens and rooster

[drdoct]

We're on day 6 of trying to integrate our 6-7 week old pullets with our existing flock. We've had them in the old coop and run for almost a month doing the see but don't touch thing. We let them out to free range and now we have two flocks. At what point will the rooster accept the pullets? I have partitioned off a section of their new coop and am planning on moving them (locking them in for 3 days) soon as we get a couple of rainy days. It's out of 2x4 wire fence.

The new pullets are very high strung. The rooster (really a 9mth old cockerel) doesn't really let the other hens associate with the chicks. I'm including the first integration video because it shows how protective the cockerel is of his existing hens.

1st video

2nd video same day

Then yesterday's chicken time to see how they're pretty much 2 flocks

What else outside of rehoming the chicks (which is coming soon) could I do to get them more accepted?

 

[aart]

The new birds won't actually become part of the flock until they start laying.
As long as all the new birds are able to eat, drink, and roost without harassment,
let them work it out.

 

[Mrs. K]

They are actually doing very well together. But AArt is right, the chicks will be a sub flock until they begin to lay... and then that line just disappears. And they will be one flock.

Mrs K

 

[TexasWineGuy]

Following this thread. I'm now in the same boat: 3 weeks ago I got 2 pullets, about 3 months old and began the process. I have the pullets in a large dog crate inside the coop itself. Not sure how long to keep them in here before letting them out with the full size hens (2).

Thoughts?

TWG

 

[Ridgerunner]

I totally agree with what Mrs. K and Aart said. There are always exceptions with any chicken behavior, but with my flock the immature chicks typically avoid the adults until they mature enough to force their way into the pecking order. With the pullets that's generally about the time they start to lay. Mature chickens outrank immature chickens in the pecking order. If an immature chicken invades the personal space of a mature chicken there is a real possibility of getting pecked. The chicks aren't stupid, they are real quick to learn to avoid that personal space so you wind up with two sub-flocks.

Thoughts?

One way chickens evolved to live together in flocks is that when there is conflict the weaker runs away from the stronger. There can be some exceptions and there can be chasing, but typically if the weaker runs away and then avoids the stronger life is good, peace is restored. But this assumes they have enough room to run away and stay away. If they can't get away then the stronger thinks the other is still challenging it. That can be dangerous.

So how much room do you have? I'm not talking about square feet or square feet per chicken, I'm talking about can they run away and get away? You only have four total chickens, that often means space is limited. I'm encouraged that you at least have enough room to put a crate in there.

Room is not limited to coop size. Chickens don't understand the concept of coop space versus run space. If room is there and available they can use it so how you manage them plays a part. If they are locked in the coop section only then yes, coop is all that counts. If you can manage them so run space is also available your task just became a lot easier.

The quality of your room makes a difference. If you can add clutter so their line of sight is broken you just helped yourself. Clutter is something they can hide under, behind, or over. Having more than one feeding or watering station can help, especially if there is clutter between them. It is typical in my coop when I go down in the morning to open the pop door for the chicks to be on my 5' high roosts while the adults are on the coop floor. At night the adults slept on the roosts while the juveniles slept on the coop floor. They are avoiding the adults. Life is good.

My goal for integration is not that they all sit around the campfire eating s'mores and singing cumbaya. My goal is that no one gets injured. Nothing more complicated than that. All that one flock stuff comes when they are mature enough to handle it.

So what can you do? My suggestion is to release the two chicks when you can be around to observe. As I said, there are always exceptions. Sometimes with plenty of room there are problems. Sometimes even if they are shoehorned in there pretty tight it works out. Base what you do on what you see, not on what some stranger like me over the internet tells you that you might see. You never know what will actually happen, but two separate flocks until the juveniles mature is pretty common with my flock.

 

[Mrs. K]

TWG - trade places. Let the new birds out, and put the old birds in the crate for a few days. This lets them explore the space without being chased and get comfortable in the area. And I swear it lets the old birds see them in the set up without the world coming to an end. Works well for me.

 

[Clodill4rel]

We're on day 6 of trying to integrate our 6-7 week old pullets with our existing flock. We've had them in the old coop and run for almost a month doing the see but don't touch thing. We let them out to free range and now we have two flocks. At what point will the rooster accept the pullets? I have partitioned off a section of their new coop and am planning on moving them (locking them in for 3 days) soon as we get a couple of rainy days. It's out of 2x4 wire fence.

The new pullets are very high strung. The rooster (really a 9mth old cockerel) doesn't really let the other hens associate with the chicks. I'm including the first integration video because it shows how protective the cockerel is of his existing hens.

1st video

2nd video same day

Then yesterday's chicken time to see how they're pretty much 2 flocks

What else outside of rehoming the chicks (which is coming soon) could I do to get them more accepted?

Wow your hens n Roo don’t even really go after the young ones! That’s amazing I hope mine go that smoothly !

 

[drdoct]

Wow your hens n Roo don’t even really go after the young ones! That’s amazing I hope mine go that smoothly !

The Roo never has. The hens do during feeding times when we're giving treats. Just enough to steal their treats which ofc we don't really allow because we feel all chickens should participate in chicken time.

 

[TexasWineGuy]

Integration is going very well! I left the "kids" in the crate, with the exception of when I let the big girls out to free range. Then the kids have the free run of the coop (8 X 10' tool shed converted) and the Run (16 x 8'). I did this for 3 weeks, then a few days ago I wired the crate door so it would only stay open about 4", so just the kids could get in and out.

Turns out didn't need to do that, as the next morning when I got up and looked, ALL of the birds were out in the Run walking around with no trouble at all.

I will be removing the crate completely this weekend.

I think I got lucky . . . . .

TWG

 

[Ridgerunner]

Some luck maybe but also doing things carefully. Your results aren't all that unusual either. There are a lot more success stories than disasters, you just don't read about most of those successes. Thanks for sharing your story.