Integrating older crowd with the teenagers

[Babe77]

We have 3 yr olds (8 hens,1 roo) and have then housed in a coop with nest boxes and have a run for them that is 30 x 40 ft. They free range nightly.




We purchased 1 day olds who are now 10 wk old toddlers (15 pullets and the 1 unexpected roo) . They are housed in a converted bus stop no longer being used by the grand kids and it is attached at the opposite end of the run from the main coop. As this is temporary, there are currently no nest boxes in there. The run was fenced off so that the toddlers have 8 x 40 ft of that area.










What would be suggestions for integrating them prior to the egg laying of the 10 wk olds? To date the 10 wk olds have not been outside of the run but the thought is to do this tonight or tomorrow to see how they do and keeping the older ones inside the run. Somewhere I read that having them all free range would lessen the arguments with them but having to have them to return to separate areas would be the problem.

Any thoughts ?

Thanks, JoAnne

 

[Judy]

10 weeks might be a little young. If they are all about the same size you're less likely to have serious issues.

 

[dela1991]

I have had a similar situation this year. I have three 2 year old hens and back in May got 9 new chicks. They are now 11 weeks old. About 5 weeks ago, I sectioned off part of my covered run and put the chicks out during the day so that the hens could see but not touch. I rounded the chicks up at night and took them back into the garage. About 4 weeks ago I got a large rabbit cage and started putting the chicks, in the cage, inside the coop at night so again, the hens could see them but not get at them. Over the course of the last few weeks, I have let one or more of the hens into the run area with the chicks. My hens usually free range all day with access to the coop but not the run where the chicks are. Only one of my hens, a BO, has shown any aggression toward the chicks. The other two could not care less.

Today, the hens and the chicks have spent the day together in the run. I have checked frequently and so far no one is bloodied and everyone is getting their fair share of treats. I wanted to see if the chicks would go into the coop tonight on their own as they are used to me caging them up and tucking them in at night. I am hoping that they will just follow the big girls into the coop and all will be well. Maybe I am tripping but it has been a long summer of carting chicks to and from the house and rounding them up at night and putting them in a cage.

Until I get a second coop, I don't think that I will try integration again. It has been hard with just one coop.

It sounds like you have a good set up and since this is my first time integration chicks, I am far from an expert on the subject. Just letting you know how I have handled it. I look at it as one more experiment in life.

Good luck with your flock.

Terri

 

[dela1991]

Just after 8:30pm here. The chicks went into the coop, well after the three older birds. There was a little bit of squawking when one of the chicks decided to get up on the roost next to the BO. Most of them are in one corner of the coop, huddled together. I know that they are unsure of what is going on and for that I feel bad for them. But I remember when I put my first flock outside for the first night. They acted the same way. I will check on them later to make sure everyone is settled in and then get up before the sun to open the pop door. I am thankful that my other two grown hens are accepting of the chicks.

 

[Babe77]

Thanks Terri.. This is my 1st time integrating also. Parenting children or chicks has its trials and tribulations, I would love for them to get along but just tonight we let the older ones out and they still hang around the outside fence line where the babies are. Occasionally the babies will come in close and we have had the older ones peck at them so I am very hesitant to let them out together.

Tomorrow will be the 1st time for letting out the chicks at night so I suppose we will take it little by little.

JoAnne

 

[dela1991]

Good luck tomorrow with letting the chicks range for the first time. I am still a little while away from that. My hens usually range all day. We have about an acre fenced out back for the chickens. I have never lost one to a predator but we do have alot of hawk activity. I just feel that my new chicks are still small enough to be carried off. And I don't have a rooster anymore to keep an eye on them. My dog and I just went out and checked on the coop and everyone is settled in. Let me know how it goes for you tomorrow.

Terri

 

[Den in Penn]

You are doing well. By giving them a separate part of the run you allowed them to get to know each other with out the bigger ones being able to peck the young ones. I let my chicks free range with the old flock when they were twelve weeks, but with the room I have to range I could have let them out earlier. The grow out coop has been attached to the run for two weeks now and they have been mingling with out problems. They chicks are now going on 18 weeks and still going to their grow out coop at night by their choice. Which is my next hurtle to get them sleeping in with the others. May just have to throw them in there some night if they don't do it themselves.

 

[dela1991]

I got up before the sun and opened the pop door. I wanted to make sure that the chicks could get out of the coop and not be "trapped" by my grumpy BO. Everyone made it through the night unscathed. My older hens really want out of the run and into the yard but I am going to keep them in with the chicks awhile this morning. I will let them out later today. I was really pleased last night when the chicks went into the coop on their own. Natural instinct wins out.