Integrating chicks

[oEch0o]

I got some new chicks one week ago and of course I'm not putting them with the other chickens right away, but I'd like to know in advance if it's ok to add five new chickens to a flock of 7 (one being a rooster) together or if I should add one or two at a time. I also have a smaller flock that I could add one of my new ones to (also with a rooster) a flock of four if I need to. I have another flock of five but I'd rather not add onto that flock. That flocks all one breed and the females are quite vicious and both my roosters for that pen don't really like newcomers. It would work best for me if all of them could go to Blaise's flock (the flock of 7) but I'd like to know what would be best. Blaise's flock is mostly full of docile chickens with the exception of my 5 year old hybrid and my Wyandotte

 

[redsoxs]

Here's a great article that talks about integrating chickens: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/introducing-new-chickens-using-the-see-but-don-t-touch-method
And here's another from the Learning Center: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

 

[chickenweirdo1]

What i do is bye some of that screen door mesh chicken wire or something with small holes would work to and fence off a little bit of the coop with it and put the chicks in there. The chickens can look at each other get used to each other being around. After a week or so cut a little door only the chicks can fit through and let them go integrate with the other chickens. Of course make sure you are there and watch that there is no pecking on or fowl play.

Once the chicks and chickens are getting along and

 

[azygous]

You aren't making gravy where you need to add ingredients gradually. Baby chicks brooded together constitute as unit. They are a sub flock and cohesively dependent on one another for self esteem. You need to keep them together.

The very best way to integrate chicks into an adult flock is to get them in proximity to the adults s soon as possible, ideally, raising them alongside the adults.

The earlier you can expose the chicks to the adults, the sooner the chicks can begin to mingle safely with the rest of the flock. Many of us are integrating chicks at age two weeks with a panic room, as alluded to by chickenweirdo.

If it's not possible to brood the chicks in the run or coop, then day trips on mild days beginning around age two weeks will help this process along.

I have an article on brooding outdoors linked below. It shows my panic room setup and how it works.

 

[oEch0o]

Thank y'all so much! It's a relief to me to know how to do this best. I've only ever added one at a time to a flock and the one time I tried putting a flock of four and a flock of six together it... didn't work out well

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

Good info from other posters already.

Keep them together!