Integration Day! Help Lol!

[Sassykassie]

Today is integration Day! Help lol

This is my setup. We turned underneath the loft space into a temporary coop for my 14 chicks for 7 weeks and put chicken wire down the center of the run. My “chicks” are now 15.5 weeks old. My older chickens (4 hens and 1 rooster) used to free range all day, but I’m not allowing that anymore.

Last night we took the center chicken wire down and let the chicks together with the hens today. This morning the big hens only allowed the younger ones on one side of the run. Then after about an hour my big hens just kept pushing them into the temporary coop and not allowing them out to eat or drink. There’s no blood baths but the babies still need to eat and drink. We locked the big ones up for an hour to let the littles eat.

What should I do? Maybe pen the big ones up in the center of the coop and allow the babies to free roam in the coop? Should I force all of them into the main coop tonight? Maybe take the loft coop down and just leave it open?

 

[Ridgerunner]

That's not horrible but it a bit tight for 19 chickens. I'd consider adding some additional run space before too long. I understand you are no longer able to free range. That makes it a bit harder.

I'd add clutter. That means some things the chickens can hide under or behind to break line of sight. Do not form traps where they cannot escape if they get chased. Something like a piece of plywood leaning against a fence or an old satellite dish up on cinder blocks. Roosts or perches high enough the older cannot peck them from the ground could help. Maybe lay a table on its side. Just some things to break line of sight. In another couple of months that should not be necessary but it can help while they are still immature.

Also multiple widely separated food and water stations. Again it helps if something breaks line of sight so the older cannot see them eating or drinking.

Good luck!

 

[Sassykassie]

That's not horrible but it a bit tight for 19 chickens. I'd consider adding some additional run space before too long. I understand you are no longer able to free range. That makes it a bit harder.

I'd add clutter. That means some things the chickens can hide under or behind to break line of sight. Do not form traps where they cannot escape if they get chased. Something like a piece of plywood leaning against a fence or an old satellite dish up on cinder blocks. Roosts or perches high enough the older cannot peck them from the ground could help. Maybe lay a table on its side. Just some things to break line of sight. In another couple of months that should not be necessary but it can help while they are still immature.

Also multiple widely separated food and water stations. Again it helps if something breaks line of sight so the older cannot see them eating or drinking.

Good luck!

Thank you so much for the suggestions! I will add much more in there. There’s 3 feeding stations spread out, the watering system, another small water jug, 2 chairs and a couple perches.

I do plan to free range with supervision a couple hours a day. There’s just so many babies that don’t stay together right now. And if the big birds go out, they can’t get back in for food and water so I figured not allowing free range would be the better solution. Do you think that’s the best solution? Or maybe I should try something different?

 

[Mrs. K]

Throw a little feed outside, and stick a water station out of the run - just for a few days. Let the big girls out and let the babies roam the whole coop.

Let the big girls back in as close to dark as you can. Where the urge to fight will about equal the urge to fight.

Do keep the pop up door open, and add a lot of clutter. Set the clutter up so that a bird eating at one feed station - cannot be seen by a bird eating at another.

After a couple of days - then add two of the adult birds in with the chicks. There may be a bit of bluster, but it should quickly wear out. If it doesn't, pick two different birds. Wait a couple of days and then

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Where the urge to fight will about equal the urge to fight.

Mrs K - please clarify.

 

[Mrs. K]

Whoops the urge to roost will equal the urge to fight