cstronks
Songster
Wish me luck BYC...I'll be integrating 8-10 Australorp and Rhode Island Red pullets into my flock of 5 hens (Buff Orpingtons, Minorca, and Red Sex Link) in a few hours. I'm slated to pick up the birds at 10, and then the process begins. I have read up plenty and prepared my chicken house for this. The coop and run has already been split up into two different parts, both of which have the same amenities. I designed this coop with a flock expansion in mind, as I created two exits from the coop to the run, not just one. This makes it easy to split the house right down the middle. Anyways, I know the ages are different, so I plan on letting the pullets grow to about 14 weeks of age before even attempting to integrate both groups. This will give them about a month of side by side time with no contact. I am hoping that they can get used to each other just enough to prevent serious violence. Also, I am getting quite a few new hens, and since I only have 5, I think the large number helps. Hopefully one or two chickens cannot be singled out and bullied because there will be so many new birds. I'll keep BYC updated regarding the progress of the integration, with what works and what doesn't, and I will be taking advice the whole time!
Here is my new coop (left) next to my old coop on the right. It clearly dwarfs the other in size and has plenty of space for the chickens to move around (and me when I clean). Moved the chickens in about a month ago.
Here is the separation on the outside of the coop. I used green garden fencing that is available at most of the big box stores and green t-posts (all of which came from my garden) to create separation. I then used some garden staples to secure the fencing into the ground to prevent any tunneling over where the new birds are. Here are four of my five hens pictured, as one decided to lay an egg when I was taking this. The separation on the inside of the coop is extremely similar, as it is made out of one of the old walls of the chicken run. The back of the coop is not completely finished, as I plan on adding white molding around the exits from the coop to the run.
Here is a picture after I added the new hens to the coop! Don't worry, I added the food and waterer moments after I put them into the coop. I purchased four Rhode Island Reds, Four Australorps, and one partridge rock hen (very pretty feathering). My hens look completely unfazed by the arrival of the new birds because I bribed them with oats and mealworms for this picture. They have taken well though, and don't seem to be showing any signs of interest or discomfort at their new flock mates. The pullets are 10 weeks and relatively calm. Jumpy and slightly skittish, but not hard to grab if you need to pick one up. I held them before when I checked them and released them into the run. I have also installed a smaller roost on the inside of their portion of the run for the pullets to sleep on. I would say the pullets are 2/3 the size of my current birds, so after a month they should be able to be integrated without having the pullets at a major disadvantage.
Here is my new coop (left) next to my old coop on the right. It clearly dwarfs the other in size and has plenty of space for the chickens to move around (and me when I clean). Moved the chickens in about a month ago.
Here is the separation on the outside of the coop. I used green garden fencing that is available at most of the big box stores and green t-posts (all of which came from my garden) to create separation. I then used some garden staples to secure the fencing into the ground to prevent any tunneling over where the new birds are. Here are four of my five hens pictured, as one decided to lay an egg when I was taking this. The separation on the inside of the coop is extremely similar, as it is made out of one of the old walls of the chicken run. The back of the coop is not completely finished, as I plan on adding white molding around the exits from the coop to the run.
Here is a picture after I added the new hens to the coop! Don't worry, I added the food and waterer moments after I put them into the coop. I purchased four Rhode Island Reds, Four Australorps, and one partridge rock hen (very pretty feathering). My hens look completely unfazed by the arrival of the new birds because I bribed them with oats and mealworms for this picture. They have taken well though, and don't seem to be showing any signs of interest or discomfort at their new flock mates. The pullets are 10 weeks and relatively calm. Jumpy and slightly skittish, but not hard to grab if you need to pick one up. I held them before when I checked them and released them into the run. I have also installed a smaller roost on the inside of their portion of the run for the pullets to sleep on. I would say the pullets are 2/3 the size of my current birds, so after a month they should be able to be integrated without having the pullets at a major disadvantage.
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