Integrating Flocks

[Mrsmallari]

Hello! I have 4 "older girls" that are about 7 months old (1 blue americauna, 1 white leghorn (queen bee), 1 redstar and 1 welsummer) and 5 17-week-old girls. 1 Polish, 1 silkie, 1 RIR, 1 Buff Orpington and 1 welsummer. Knowing what I know now I wouldn't have gotten any bantums but here we are.

We just upgraded our coop to accommodate the larger flock. They have been out with each other and obviously, there has been some chasing and pecking. Nothing too crazy but I am not versed in what is normal. This is the first night the "big" girls are in the new coop (they were pretty confused) but they are sleeping now. I felt uncomfortable putting the little girls in because they are still getting chased around. I know the pecking order has to be established but I am not sure when I should put them all in in the coop to sleep. Our run isn't too big as they are mostly free range on our 3/4 acre. We let them out during the day and then close them in at night. I have read you can add them in at night but I am not sure what to do! Thanks in advance.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Since the coop was just remodeled that should throw off the older birds (as they haven't yet claimed ownership of the space) - I would just shove all of them in for the night and close up.

 

[SamLockwood]

It's usually good to have at least a few weeks of "look, don't touch" where the two flocks can see each other but not physically interact: either in a cage or sub-divide your coop and run, etc.

How long you do this really depends on the birds: I like to watch how they interact through the wire: When the posturing is less hostile and more curious then I let them interact physically.

Currently my preferred method with new chicks or keets is I built a separate mini-coop with a raised design and an integrated mini-run:

When I get new chicks or keets (or these days, hatch them) I move them out here with a heat plate after two weeks in the brooder. I keep the ramp up and they only have access to the coop for the first two weeks (to get them used to being in a new place), and then I drop the ramp and move their feeder and waterer "down stairs". They're confined to the run mini-run during the day and the adults get a look at the newcomers.

I then watch the body language of the adults. Invariably they'll start out either ignoring the youngsters or pecking at them through the wire, but eventually when they don't act hostile I'll start opening the mini-run door and let them start to integrate.

My young roosters were actually the best at helping the process along this fall: two of them were openly curious on day one, and after about two weeks (the new birds were 6 to 7 weeks old at the time) one of them would basically camp out next to them for an hour or two every day.

I started letting the youngsters out for only an hour or two before dusk, and then longer and longer hours (with more interaction with the adults) until they're out free-ranging during the day.

Eventually, they tend to move into the "big coop" on their own. Typically they're integrated during the day at around 9 to 10 weeks old, and fully moved in (and sleeping with the big birds) by 14 to 15 weeks.

I think starting the integration earlier like this works better because the adults don't see the smaller birds as much of a threat, and I think it plays into the chickens' instincts better.