Integrating New Chickens

[cehasz]

Hey all! I know there are many ways of integrating. I have two that are about 10 weeks old who have shared a run with my current flock, it was just partitioned off. They have been sharing the run for almost two months, so the chickens see each other daily. Now that I am trying to integrate them, the two younger ones keep escaping to get away from the pecking. They keep coming back, but I want them to begin sharing the same coop so we can have the other one open for when we start our own hatching soon. The two I am trying to integrate are Americaunas. The current flock is 6 Sex-links and 3 Bantams. I am going to try just placing the other ones in the big coop tonight and see how that goes but are there any other suggestions?

 

[bobbi-j]

Just make sure they have plenty of space or hiding places to get away if they need to. The older ones are establishing their pecking order, and this can go on for a day or two, or even a week or more. There's not much you can do but let it happen. Just make sure the younger ones aren't getting trapped or pinned down and being pecked excessively. If you can provide an extra feeder and waterer, all the better.