Integrating was a success!

[Domestic_goddess]

I've posted a few times about this topic and heard several different oppinions......So a couple of days ago, I decided to integrate all the chicks. I have almost 2 weeks olds in with 5 day olds and it's been a success so far. Very little pecking and they all play and sleep together, I'm glad I got them this soon so they can grow up together...the little ones actually enjoy tagging along and sleeping with the older ones! I was so worried but now I'm so glad!Just had to share, Thanks.

 

[greeneggsnham]

Thats really good! I'm so happy for you to have been able to do that. I have chicks exactly the same ages today that I have in seperate brooders because I'm scared they won't do as well. I got the older ones at about one week and they are very skittish. The babies however are very used to me and I'm afraid they will get trampled because they don't freak out when I come around. Anyways I'm glad you were able to mix them.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
Good to know. I've got one week old chicks (5) and 4 week old chicks (2). I think that's a brilliant idea. As soon as the babies are able to be in cooler temps, I'll set 'em all up together in my brooder condo. Thanks for the idea!

 

[allquackedup]

We just hatched out chicks. Some were days apart. When they were dry enough to come out of the hatcher they were put with the others . We have not experianced any thing negative. We also just added more hens to our original flock. We were worried about that but the very first night our rooster escorted the newbies into the coop and all is well with them to. I think we tend to put to much thought into a lot of this stuff. LOL

 

[Happy Chooks]

Congrats!

I put 4 week old chicks in with 2 week old chicks and had no problems whatsoever. I just put the little ones in first, then added the older ones and watched really closely.

Now integrating with adults is a whole different ballgame.

 

[abanjaf]

So glad to hear that went well, as I will be needing to do that too

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

 

[cmom]

Glad to hear the integration went well. I have had my 3yr olds in with my 8 month olds and I think because they were raised in pens next to each other they integrated well. The old girls ignore the little girls, but they are all pretty much the same size.

 

[felidaet]

Glad to hear it went well for you.

Last year I bought chicks on several different dates over a three week period. As I got new ones I just added them to the brooder. I did not have any problems. I did keep a close eye on then for an hour or two after adding new ones. All of these chicks were bought at feed stores and the feed stores got them from hatcheries. They were all at least 3 - 4 days old when I brought them home.

As far as integrating older birds, I will be doing that in late August of this year. My run is large enough for both the existing birds and my new flock. I plan to temporarily divide my run in half with poultry wire in May. The existing flock will use 1/2 and the new flock will use the other half. (The run is between the two coops.) This way they will see each other every day. Sometime in late August I will remove the temporary dividing fence. That should be an interesting day. I will not have to worry about a rooster integration. I don't currently have any roosters. If I get any roosters in my new flock they will be rehomed.