Integrating new chickens to the flock.

[DaniMasters]

So, as I have never integrated new chickens to an existing flock before I do not know if this is normal. My younger chickens have spent the last two weeks in a separate encloser in the yard where the older chickens can be around them but not hurt them, to get them used to each other. Now I've just added the young ones to the main run and this is their first night all together. The sun is down and all the young chickens are out in the run, not in the coop. Is this normal? Will it pass? How long will they not go into the coop? Do you think the older chickens are not allowing them in? I'm just concerned...

 

[jess19864]

How old are the new chickens ? size plays a big part at least in my experience. I just recently added new baby chicks to my flock with a broody mom. However in the past i have added larger birds. I added a barred rock that was the last of a friend of my dads flock. I kept her seperated from the rest of the flock at the beginning so they could get used to her without attacking her same as you did. I have also added new birds in pairs. The bigger they are the better in my experience. They are still probably going to get picked on at the beginning to establish pecking order . You can try putting them on the roosts with the other chickens since it is night. if that doesn't work i have had luck with letting them outside the run in a large area all together so they had a way to escape and places to hide if need be . In my experience its definitely been easier to add alot of chickens at once. I made sure i added extra feed and water just in case there was bullying of any kind but most of mine acclimated pretty easily.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Have the chicks ever been in the coop (overnight) before? If not, it is not their home and nothing tells them to go into it.

I train my chicks to the coop by picking them up at dusk and caging them inside the coop - 2 different variations of it here towards the bottom (one with photos): https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/short-on-time-recycle-a-prefab-brooder.73985/ When the chicks feel that the coop is home, they'll go in on their own.

 

[Whigru]

When I intro’d two younger birds to my two teenagers, I had to physically put the little ones in the coop at night for a week or so. The bigger ones would go up first and then I think the younger ones just didn’t really know what to do. So, I’d pick them up and put them in, to help them learn and also to be there should the teenagers get snappy at them. After about a week, the littles learned to go up on their own.

 

[DaniMasters]

Have the chicks ever been in the coop (overnight) before? If not, it is not their home and nothing tells them to go into it.

I train my chicks to the coop by picking them up at dusk and caging them inside the coop - 2 different variations of it here towards the bottom (one with photos): https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/short-on-time-recycle-a-prefab-brooder.73985/ When the chicks feel that the coop is home, they'll go in on their own.

I think I will have to hand out them in at night.