integration almost complete

[bj taylor]

i have 4 older birds & 5 youngsters. the past few nights i have been putting the little ones in the coop w/the big girls. the big girls just ignore them & go off to sleep. the young ones cry, fuss, & generally make themselves a nuisance.

tonight it was dusk & i went to put them up & what do you know - the little ones had gone in the coop on their own. the big girls were ready to sleep, but the little ones were raising such a ruckuss, who could sleep. they finally got things situated & quiet decended.

gosh those babies invite trouble. good thing my big girls are so tolerant.

 

[real_redhead]

Too funny, I have been going thru the same thing. I have one "big" girl (just over a yr old) and 3 "babies" (about 8-9 weeks old). I first put them in a cat carrier in the coop and in the morning I would let the big girl out in the run and the babies stayed in the coop or vice versa. Last week, the babies were in the coop roosting already when I let the big girl in. The babies started carrying on and "crying" but the big one ignored them and went to sleep. I stood out there forever to make sure they would be ok and then couldn't sleep that night thinking something would happen. Everynight we go thru the same routine but the babies have decided they won't go in the coop if the big on is in the coop roosting already. The last few nights I have to go out and put the babies on the roost. They start chirping and carrying on and the big girl just ignores them. The last few days I let them stay together but if the big one is in the run the babies go in the coop and vice versa. The babies run when they see her and start chirping like crazy, now that I know they will run I am not too worried, although I do bolt out of bed very early to open the coop door so everyone can run where they need to go! Man what we chicken people do for out chickens! I'll have to go thru this again in a few months after my next batch of babies!

 

[KimKimWilliamso]

Hahaha, so nice to hear your older girl is so tolerant. With my integration, my girls are being nice to the babes, its the Roo that is being nasty!

 

[bucky52]

i have ten ,9 week old chicks.and three hens.i moved the young chicks in the coop and run 5 weeks ago.i have a wire door seperating them.so they can see each other.this morning when i was feeding them.i did not close the door all the way.well one the hens got in and she was surounded by nine chirping chicks.the look on that hens face,it made me laugh.one chick was sandwiched in between the other hens and they were pecking the poor thing.i finally got them seperated.i am not looking forward to the day that i will have to intergreat them.but i know it will be soon.