Integrating flock ideas.

[csaylorchickens]

I have four salmon faverolle hens that are just over a year old. They are sweet but last time I introduced 1 hen and 1 rooster they were not the nicest girls it could have been worse but everytime the newbie walked by they got pecked at. I introduced them slowlo before. I had to get rid of the rooster and the hen died from heart failure

So now I have y baby chicks. I am nt.keeping all 6 I just got 6 incase there were causlities. I am only keeping 4 and if I get easter eggers I am only keeping 2. The Easter eggers won't be available till june.

I post pics of my current set up. I just wasn't sure how to go about the transitioning into the flock. They way I did it before was letting the Chicks in the mini coop and having the hens and chicks take turns free ranging. I don't think that enough exposure to the new chicks.

This time around d I was thinking I could make a pin inside the run of the big flock and putting the chicks in the pin all day and putting them back into the mini coop at night.

And if I do that how long do I do that before integrating them? I'm thinking at 12 weeks putting them in the mini pin and at 16 weeks integrating? It's a pain because I'd have to put them in and out everyday for 4 weeks but it's worth it if it's going to help.

Ideas?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That's exactly one way that I integrate, the only difference is I start putting mine out as soon as it's warm enough, and definitely by eight weeks. Mature hens will accept chicks easier than adults, when they are about 9-10 weeks I start letting them mingle with supervision. The older hens should either ignore them or occasionally peck them but mostly leave them alone. I would keep putting them back in a separate pen at night, or when you can't keep an eye out for a while until you feel comfortable leaving them out. Towards the end of my integration I will put the chicks in the coop so they become familiar with it and are comfortable going in and out.

 

[csaylorchickens]

That's exactly one way that I integrate, the only difference is I start putting mine out as soon as it's warm enough, and definitely by eight weeks. Mature hens will accept chicks easier than adults, when they are about 9-10 weeks I start letting them mingle with supervision. The older hens should either ignore them or occasionally peck them but mostly leave them alone. I would keep putting them back in a separate pen at night, or when you can't keep an eye out for a while until you feel comfortable leaving them out. Towards the end of my integration I will put the chicks in the coop so they become familiar with it and are comfortable going in and out.

So you put the chicks in the large pin seoerated at first?

Now if I can figure out a good way to split the run. Maybe split the underneath run in half and one half older hens the other the Chicks.

 

[OrganizedChaos0]

I keep my chicks inside under a lamp until they are fully feathered, however long it takes (I've had it take as long as 2.5 months and as short as 4 weeks).
Once they are feathered, they are outside in a small run that we have connected to our coop. They are completely separated from the main flock but there is plenty of fencing so they can see each other all day. Inside the coop, there is a small area for them to get out of the coop and still be separated from the flock, but again, they can still see each other.
After a couple months of that, we move the young flock in with the main flock, but at night.
By morning, we check on everyone and let them out for the day and aside from everyone getting the pecking order situated, everyone is fine.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

This is how i keep smaller batches of chicks outside for the day. It's a piece of hardware cloth, 3x10 feet formed into a circle, here's it's just on the lawn, when integrating i put it in the chicken run, eventually I put a brick under it to lift up a bit so they can slip under it to go in and out. In my large breed shed i have,a pen i lock them into where the adults get to see them, after a week or two they aren't a novelty anymore.

 

[csaylorchickens]

This is how i keep smaller batches of chicks outside for the day. It's a piece of hardware cloth, 3x10 feet formed into a circle, here's it's just on the lawn, when integrating i put it in the chicken run, eventually I put a brick under it to lift up a bit so they can slip under it to go in and out. In my large breed shed i have,a pen i lock them into where the adults get to see them, after a week or two they aren't a novelty anymore.

OK I'll have to find a way to make a barrier in the run.....brainstorming....

 

[aart]

This is how i keep smaller batches of chicks outside for the day. It's a piece of hardware cloth, 3x10 feet formed into a circle, here's it's just on the lawn, when integrating i put it in the chicken run, eventually I put a brick under it to lift up a bit so they can slip under it to go in and out. In my large breed shed i have,a pen i lock them into where the adults get to see them, after a week or two they aren't a novelty anymore.

That's nice! Like the bucket for shelter.
Is that 1/2" x 1" mesh?

I do much the same for a 'day pen', using a few garden stakes to hold it on place and overlapping the ends by a foot or so to form a 'door'.
The curve from the roll helps the round shape and makes it pretty self-standing.
Rigged shelter with a large tote lid with clamps thru mesh on one end and other end resting on a bucket.

 

[aart]

Day pen pics...
Larger one is 2x4 welded wire.....smaller is 1/2" HC and a brooder lid I made long ago.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That's nice! Like the bucket for shelter.
Is that 1/2" x 1" mesh?

I do much the same for a 'day pen', using a few garden stakes to hold it on place and overlapping the ends by a foot or so to form a 'door'.
The curve from the roll helps the round shape and makes it pretty self-standing.
Rigged shelter with a large tote lid with clamps thru mesh on one end and other end resting on a bucket.

the mesh is smaller than that, it's hardware cloth, thinking 1/4 by 1/2 inch. The bucket actually heats up like a mini brooder in the sun so they sit in it, I also use it to carry them back and forth between the shed. Yours are nice too. I like getting my chicks outside as early as possible.

 

[aart]

Quote: it looks way bigger than that....get your tape measure out