Integration not going well

[NNYchick]

i put my chicks out in the coop inside a wire dog pen at 4 weeks. At 5 weeks I started lifting the bottom but no matter what I used I had one pullet that would squeeze through. I have finally figured out the size big fluffy butt can’t get through. The chicks are now 7 weeks old and if they attempt to come out they get chased right back in. I have put cracked corn along the inside and outside of fence the little ones won’t even come over if the big chickens are there. Any other suggestions or is this just going to take a long time now that they are 7 weeks?

 

[sourland]

What is the size of the coop/pen ? The larger the area and the greater their ability to elude the larger birds the more rapid the integration.

 

[NNYchick]

That most certainly might be the issue. It’s 8x16 with 8 in my older flock. But with the nest boxes, section area for the chicks and a dog crate for a hen raising it’s gotten tight in there. Hurry up spring so I can let them out.