Integrating tips for my chicks~

[CookieWaffle]

Hello BYC friends,
We are curious for your ideas on introducing our three 7 week old chicks(2 wyandottes/1 favorelle) into the coop of
six 3 1/2 month old Australorps (includes one rooster). We have had them in the coop for an hour or two every few days & did one sleepover,
but we `chickened out` as the little ones squawked & squeezed in the corner of a nestbox! Thank you for your advice!

 

[muddy75]

my best advice is look no touch set-up if you have a means of separation and then possibly putting in the coop after older ones are settled in on the roosts

 

[Mrs. K]

Add hideouts, where the small chicks can get behind or under and bigger birds cannot follow them. Do make sure that you have multiple feeders.

 

[aart]

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/

 

[City Farmer Jim]

I completely agree with AART we followed the article as closely as possible and it worked very well ...we ended up blocking off the nesting boxes for a couple of weeks at night and now they are almost ONE big Happy family. The littles know their places in the pecking order and generally give the bigs the space they need. For the most part it may have been one or two days at most of the bigs TELLING the littles who's boss. Hang in there and let the chickens work it out..do keep an eye on them so it doesn't get brutal for any ONE bird and all will be well.

 

[CookieWaffle]

Thank you so much for your thoughtful advice! Tonight is the big sleepover! We may have to block nesting boxes ! EnJOY & God Bless You!

 

[City Farmer Jim]

Update...2 of the littles have taken the step to being BIGS. Our coop is 8 ft long so I divided it into 4 2ft sections of roosting space. It started out the littles all the way to the back and the bigs up front next to the door NOW 2 of the littles have moved to the second section from the front ..that took 3-4 weeks to happen...hang in there it all works out.
There is an old Hindu saying:
"Everything will be alright in the end...if everything is not alright..it is not yet the end"