Integrating Salmon Faverolles and Barred Rocks 🤔

[Great_Strides]

Chances are everything will be fine. Just follow the integration advice on here and take it slow. Chickens hate change and newcomers are just outsiders stealing their resources. You have to give them time to accept them being around, while still being protected (dog crate). Then free range them together (if you do that) or just stick them on the roost after dark so that they all wake up together and for whatever reason don't think it's weird. There are multiple approaches, but the dog crate is the first step that paves the way to making the rest work. If you just dump them in there then they're intruders. If they've been there for 2 weeks, but locked in a box they're used to them and not alarmed. There will still be pecking order scuffles, but it won't be nearly as bad as "intruders".

Thank you! I just kept reading about people’s Salmon Faverolles needing to be separated and I thought to myself “now, why in the world did it not cross your mind that different breeds might not live well together?”
I’ll be honest, my first and only thought was if the breed was good with children or not. Lesson learned. I’ll do my best to integrate slowly and let you guys know how it goes!!
Oh, and here’s my lovely girls

 

[aart]

Anyway to get them into a separate section of coop and run now?
6 weeks is old enough to be off heat and a good time to start the integration process.

Here's some tips about......
Integration Basics:

It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[Great_Strides]

Anyway to get them into a separate section of coop and run now?
6 weeks is old enough to be off heat and a good time to start the integration process.

Here's some tips about......
Integration Basics:

It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

I pulled them completely off heat a couple days ago. Still in my back bedroom, though. I have a 10x12 run for the ladies right now. I’m going to see about separating a section off for the Faverolles today. I’ve been hesitant about kicking them outside since our weather has been all over the board lately. High of 80s for a couple days this week and then into then into the 50s after that.

Should I take them outside and leave them outside or bring them back in at night? Is it easier on them to do it in one fell swoop? It should be in the 80s for a couple days and a low of 40s at night. But then the temps are going to drop quite a bit after that. I still see some baby fuzz on their heads and necks and wondered if they have enough feathering to make a complete transition outside.

The tips for clutter are brilliant! I will work on that, too. Should I put them in the coop at night in their own section? Or is it easier to give them their own little coop for a while that would stay there when I take the fence down between them?

 

[aart]

Or is it easier to give them their own little coop for a while that would stay there when I take the fence down between them?

That might work, depends on your set up.
The key is that they can live next to each other, but separated by wire, 24/7 for a few weeks before having physical contact.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Should I take them outside and leave them outside or bring them back in at night? Is it easier on them to do it in one fell swoop? It should be in the 80s for a couple days and a low of 40s at night.

Should I put them in the coop at night in their own section? Or is it easier to give them their own little coop for a while that would stay there when I take the fence down between them?

Taking them in at night or keeping them out from here on out, that's up to you. Temperature wise they should be fine to stay out, 6 week olds that are off heat can easily handle the 40s, so hopefully that helps with your decision making.

If you coop has room to section off/put in a separate enclosure, that'd be what I'd aim for, though a mini coop out in the run would be fine too. When I'm ready to move my chicks out of the brooder and into the coop at night (I integrate in the run first so by that point they're already spending all day with the adults), I use a small cage to just add an extra layer of safety for the chicks. Then I wait for them to start roosting with the others, at which point the cage goes away.

Chick cage for night time:

4 week olds voluntarily roosting, so the cage has been removed:

 

[Great_Strides]

I brought them in for the night after they spent all day in the coop separated from the other girls. The Barred Rocks all seemed keen on making themselves known. So… I spent today making them a temporary mini coop out of an old cabinet! I’ll leave it in there when I take the barrier away so they have their own space until I know all is well. When they are integrated, maybe I can use the mini coop for a brooder or separating a sick chicken

 

[rosemarythyme]

I brought them in for the night after they spent all day in the coop separated from the other girls. The Barred Rocks all seemed keen on making themselves known. So… I spent today making them a temporary mini coop out of an old cabinet! I’ll leave it in there when I take the barrier away so they have their own space until I know all is well. When they are integrated, maybe I can use the mini coop for a brooder or separating a sick chicken

That's pretty cool, though I'd cut in a window/ventilation (unless there's one we can't see?) as chickens won't want to go into a dark or stuffy coop.

 

[Great_Strides]

That's pretty cool, though I'd cut in a window/ventilation (unless there's one we can't see?) as chickens won't want to go into a dark or stuffy coop.

I put in a little vent. Is that not enough?

 

[rosemarythyme]

I put in a little vent. Is that not enough?

It's a very small vent hole, and also lets in zero light.

Chicks really are more durable than you'd think so don't be afraid to ventilate. This is my brooder that sits in the run. I put 2-3 day olds in it, down to mid-40s at night. The small solid wall on the left side is enough to provide draft protection for when they're sleeping.

 

[Great_Strides]

It's a very small vent hole, and also lets in zero light.

Chicks really are more durable than you'd think so don't be afraid to ventilate. This is my brooder that sits in the run. I put 2-3 day olds in it, down to mid-40s at night. The small solid wall on the left side is enough to provide draft protection for when they're sleeping.
View attachment 2847756

Okay! That’s a good idea. I was just really worried they’d get cold. Maybe I’m coddling then too much

I’ll work on putting in a window of some sort on the other side Thank you!