Integration and feed question

[Chold05]

Good morning!
My chicks are 7 weeks old today. I have 3 older hens.

I started the see don’t touch method 4 days ago (today will be day 5) and have the Little’s separated in the run by a portable fence where they stayed out all day but came in at night.

Last night (day 4) was their first night in the coop. (I put their puppy plan brooder in there and allowed them to sleep in there.)

should I be keeping them in the coop during the day, rather than the run, to teach them that’s where they sleep?

Or is keeping them in the run during the day and sleeping in the coop-separated- at night an okay approach? I was thinking about opening the brooder today to let them explore the coop and maybe tomorrow removing the brooder.


Also, once they fully integrate I should change to a flock feed with calcium on the side?

Pictures of my set up.

 

[DobieLover]

I'd get more stuff in the run first. Lean a pallet or two against the walls, put stumps in there, find discarded wood stools/chairs. You need lots of places for the littles to get away from the bigs.
Install some roosts that they need to fly to get up to. I put mine in the back corners:

teach them that’s where they sleep?

They don't need you to teach them anything. The older hens will do it.

Also, once they fully integrate I should change to a flock feed with calcium on the side?

They should already be eating like this and should remain eating like this permanently. I feed a 20% protein mix all flock type feed with 2 containers of oyster shell on the side that I top up as needed. I've always fed this way.

 

[Chold05]

I'd get more stuff in the run first. Lean a pallet or two against the walls, put stumps in there, find discarded wood stools/chairs. You need lots of places for the littles to get away from the bigs.
Install some roosts that they need to fly to get up to. I put mine in the back corners:
View attachment 3514516

They don't need you to teach them anything. The older hens will do it.

They should already be eating like this and should remain eating like this permanently. I feed a 20% protein mix all flock type feed with 2 containers of oyster shell on the side that I top up as needed. I've always fed this way.

I have a chair, stumps, and a piece of plywood in there. 2 roosts… I’ll add some more tripping hazards

Do you think a week of the see don’t touch method is enough time before let everyone meet? The chicks are still much smaller than my hens.

 

[DobieLover]

I have a chair, stumps, and a piece of plywood in there. 2 roosts… I’ll add some more tripping hazards

They aren't easy to see in the picture. The branch propped up on a cinder block is not a proper roost. It needs to be up high enough so they have to jump/fly to reach it.

Do you think a week of the see don’t touch method is enough time before let everyone meet?

It all depends on the hens. Have they paid them any attention in the pen?

The littles out number the hens and will be fast. As long as they have lots of places to run away, I would let them out now.

Let the littles out into the run with the hens locked in the coop. Let them explore the run for at least an hour then open the door to the coop and stay to monitor. Only get involved if the hens literally look like they are going to kill a pullet. Chasing, pecking and pullet screaming are all normal. Sometimes, a little blood or a beakful of feathers is normal too. Pouncing on, pinning down and pecking a hole in the back of the head of a pullet is NOT.

You will also want to have multiple feed and water locations.

 

[Chold05]

They aren't easy to see in the picture. The branch propped up on a cinder block is not a proper roost. It needs to be up high enough so they have to jump/fly to reach it.

It all depends on the hens. Have they paid them any attention in the pen?

The littles out number the hens and will be fast. As long as they have lots of places to run away, I would let them out now.

Let the littles out into the run with the hens locked in the coop. Let them explore the run for at least an hour then open the door to the coop and stay to monitor. Only get involved if the hens literally look like they are going to kill a pullet. Chasing, pecking and pullet screaming are all normal. Sometimes, a little blood is normal too and a beakful of feathers is too. Pouncing on, pinning down and pecking a hole in the back of the head of a pullet is NOT.

You will also want to have multiple feed and water locations.

Dobielover; Thank you! Very helpful! The big girls havent really seemed interested in them much at all. I had a little escape and run around the coop with the big girls out and they didn't react. So you're probably right that they can be let out now.

 

[rosemarythyme]

should I be keeping them in the coop during the day, rather than the run, to teach them that’s where they sleep?

Or is keeping them in the run during the day and sleeping in the coop-separated- at night an okay approach?

Integrating them in the run will give them more exposure to the hens, so that's the preferred option during day time.

Once they're integrated in as a subflock they should learn to use the coop from the adults.

As far as timing, 1 week of see but don't touch might be enough, or it might not. Go by the behavior of the adults - ideally you want them to lose most interest in the chicks.

Also, once they fully integrate I should change to a flock feed with calcium on the side?

Yes that works fine, or you can use starter or grower instead. Basically whatever the chicks are eating, the adults will be eating as well.

 

[Chold05]

Integrating them in the run will give them more exposure to the hens, so that's the preferred option during day time.

Once they're integrated in as a subflock they should learn to use the coop from the adults.

As far as timing, 1 week of see but don't touch might be enough, or it might not. Go by the behavior of the adults - ideally you want them to lose most interest in the chicks.

Yes that works fine, or you can use starter or grower instead. Basically whatever the chicks are eating, the adults will be eating as well.

Thank you!! This answered all my questions! Appreciate your help!

 

[Chold05]

Integrating them in the run will give them more exposure to the hens, so that's the preferred option during day time.

Once they're integrated in as a subflock they should learn to use the coop from the adults.

As far as timing, 1 week of see but don't touch might be enough, or it might not. Go by the behavior of the adults - ideally you want them to lose most interest in the chicks.

Yes that works fine, or you can use starter or grower instead. Basically whatever the chicks are eating, the adults will be eating as well.

The integration seems to be going well. The adult hens don’t seem too interested in the chicks. I’ve been leaving a small opening in the fenced off area for the chicks to come and go…they do go out into the coop with the big girls. Doesn’t seem to be an issues. They even went into the coop and roosted on their own last night!

Im itching to take the fence down…
But they are still much smaller than the adults. I’ve been reading they should be about the same size before introducing them.

Thoughts on the size? Or does it not matter since they’ve been getting along fairly well?

 

[rosemarythyme]

But they are still much smaller than the adults. I’ve been reading they should be about the same size before introducing them.

Thoughts on the size? Or does it not matter since they’ve been getting along fairly well?

Size doesn't matter - the chicks will remain a subflock due to maturity and hormonal reasons, not because they're smaller. But doesn't mean that they can't integrate in early. My chicks are effectively run integrated between 2-3 weeks old (so they have all day access to the adult areas) and coop integrated around 4 weeks (so brooder is completely inaccesssible, they live full time with the adults).

It's a great sign that the chicks wanted to roost with the adults!