Integration panick

[ChickenGirl555]

I know I've asked the same thing a lot but I really don't want to...loose...these chicks. I'm sorry if it's annoying, but here's the story.

I am trying to introduce new chicks to my flock of pullets (No roosters) a baby naked neck-possibly-roo (if it's a roo we will give him away when he's older) and a mix girl (Still haven't figured out what she is). We are introducing them together even though we will give the roo away when he's older. They are still small and making chick noises, but it's winter and we need them to use the flock as warmth. We can't keep them in our brooder for very long, and they don't have that many feathers yet. I can't use the chick-n-box idea because I won't have it built in time. My family wants the chicks out of the house in a few weeks, and they said they WILL just throw them in with the adults if they're not already with them. (My family doesn't understand the danger of that ) I do have a dog cage, and I will do the see no touch but I can't do it for long. The pecking order is not completely established yet or isn't clear to me. I think I have an idea who the 'alpha' is but anyways when I introduced them for the first time, a couple of my hens came up and started pecking the chicks heads. Since this is my first flock and integration, I was scared, so when a hen PICKED UP the baby and it screamed, I panicked and snatched the chicks away. It is pretty cold too and they didn't have all of their feathers so I brought them into the brooder box (Which is in my house) and I haven't had time since. Should I try the see no touch? And if yes for how long? I'm kind of freaking out because I don't want to mess up and have little time since I have stuff going on and really can only do it on weekends with full supervision. Please help me out! (Sorry for such a long story)

 

[ChickenGirl555]

Re-posted, please comment on this link!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/integration-trouble.1207259/

 

[Mrs. K]

You have a couple of misconceptions, maybe I can help.
Your older birds will not keep your baby birds warm. However, their own feathers will keep them warm.

Really your birds are feathered out and will do pretty good outside. If you watch a mother bird with chicks in cold weather what you will see is chicks running around outside in the cold temps, that are still downey. They run around in the cold and then take a time out, where they get under the mama bird and warm up.

Now, often times, people think that the mama bird is supplying all or most of the heat. But she is not, she is like a blanket, she is trapping their heat around them, for the most part. Heat rises, it does not sink, so little of her heat is used.

If you can provide even a cardboard box, an heavier duty one, like for groceries, it is more than likely enough protection in the day time. If you can add a bit of a down blanket, or hat, or even a feather duster hung upside down, so that the chicks can huddle there, they will warm right up. Experiement a bit with your hand. Add good deep bedding, protection from the wind, and something to collect their body heat, and they will be fine.

As for introducing them to the flock, a one way gate works very well. You need a pen where they can be seen but not pursued by the flock. If they have been in a brooder, then putting them in a pen, it will take a couple of days before they begin to push outside the pen. They will catch on quickly that that is their safe zone.

Set it up, let the big girls out of the set up. Put your chicks in the safe zone. Let them explore that area as they want, but if they come out of it, scare them back in. The will quickly catch on that is a safe place to go if they are frightened. This allows them to venture out on their terms, and retreat if the pressure is too much.

Put them outside for a while so they do get cold, use your hand to push them into the box, so they can get warmed up. You may have to do it a couple of times. After a couple of hours, take them back to the brooder, let them get really warmed up, then back out again. A Saturday/Sunday of that, by Monday they should be good to be outside unless you have a blizzard. Monday night, they should be huddled up in the box, put the box in the coop, but close it up so they cannot get out until you get back there the next morning. Carry the box out to the safe zone.

Within a week, I came down to find the chick eating by a big chicken, and figured they had made the flock.

 

[ChickenGirl555]

You have a couple of misconceptions, maybe I can help.
Your older birds will not keep your baby birds warm. However, their own feathers will keep them warm.

Really your birds are feathered out and will do pretty good outside. If you watch a mother bird with chicks in cold weather what you will see is chicks running around outside in the cold temps, that are still downey. They run around in the cold and then take a time out, where they get under the mama bird and warm up.

Now, often times, people think that the mama bird is supplying all or most of the heat. But she is not, she is like a blanket, she is trapping their heat around them, for the most part. Heat rises, it does not sink, so little of her heat is used.

If you can provide even a cardboard box, an heavier duty one, like for groceries, it is more than likely enough protection in the day time. If you can add a bit of a down blanket, or hat, or even a feather duster hung upside down, so that the chicks can huddle there, they will warm right up. Experiement a bit with your hand. Add good deep bedding, protection from the wind, and something to collect their body heat, and they will be fine.

As for introducing them to the flock, a one way gate works very well. You need a pen where they can be seen but not pursued by the flock. If they have been in a brooder, then putting them in a pen, it will take a couple of days before they begin to push outside the pen. They will catch on quickly that that is their safe zone.

Set it up, let the big girls out of the set up. Put your chicks in the safe zone. Let them explore that area as they want, but if they come out of it, scare them back in. The will quickly catch on that is a safe place to go if they are frightened. This allows them to venture out on their terms, and retreat if the pressure is too much.

Put them outside for a while so they do get cold, use your hand to push them into the box, so they can get warmed up. You may have to do it a couple of times. After a couple of hours, take them back to the brooder, let them get really warmed up, then back out again. A Saturday/Sunday of that, by Monday they should be good to be outside unless you have a blizzard. Monday night, they should be huddled up in the box, put the box in the coop, but close it up so they cannot get out until you get back there the next morning. Carry the box out to the safe zone.

Within a week, I came down to find the chick eating by a big chicken, and figured they had made the flock.

Thank you for all the great information! I have a few small cardboard boxes I could put inside the coop and make a hole only the chicks could get in to, would this work as a safe zone/keep them maybe the slightest bit warmer?

 

[Mrs. K]

It might, but I do see a problem, they could get trapped unless they were right by the hole. It might work at night. I think you still need a safe zone outside in the run. With a one way fence, there are lots of places where the chicks can get across. A single hole would not work. One must be very careful to not create a trap, where older birds could trap them and peck them to death.

I see that you are very worried about keeping them warm, and you really do not need to be. If these chicks had been raised by a mother hen, by this age they would be on their own. Your chicks are old enough to keep themselves warm. They need a wind break, they need to be outside in fresh air. You are limiting them by kindness.

 

[ChickenGirl555]

It might, but I do see a problem, they could get trapped unless they were right by the hole. It might work at night. I think you still need a safe zone outside in the run. With a one way fence, there are lots of places where the chicks can get across. A single hole would not work. One must be very careful to not create a trap, where older birds could trap them and peck them to death.

I see that you are very worried about keeping them warm, and you really do not need to be. If these chicks had been raised by a mother hen, by this age they would be on their own. Your chicks are old enough to keep themselves warm. They need a wind break, they need to be outside in fresh air. You are limiting them by kindness.

Ok, well would the box work if I put holes on all sides of it? EDIT: Also could I put a dog cage INSIDE the run? My chickens don’t free range without full supervision because we have hawks. One of my friends said one almost took her dog, but luckily they were able to scare it off and drop the dog with a broom.

 

[Sassysouth]

Ok, well would the box work if I put holes on all sides of it? EDIT: Also could I put a dog cage INSIDE the run? My chickens don’t free range without full supervision because we have hawks. One of my friends said one almost took her dog, but luckily they were able to scare it off and drop the dog with a broom.

Yes you can! Wire hamster cage, etc. I use my dog carrier for time outs.

 

[Mrs. K]

Truthfully, we may be talking at cross purposes. If you are thinking a cardboard box where the chicks would spend nearly all of their time in it, no that won't work.

If you are thinking of a cardboard box, where the birds can go to warm up, or sleep the night in it, that will work. Put them in the box at night a few times in the brooder, so they get the idea. In the day time, put the box outside in the run. You really need to get them outside, it is better for them. That should be placed in a safe zone in the run. They will naturally return there at dark, and you can move them and the box easily to the coop.

Just use a bock with 4 flaps, cut the side flaps off. Tape down the top flap, and the chicks will easily be able to get in there.

They really need to be spending most of the day outside. They will do fine outside if they have a shelter they can go into as they want. I believe in letting my chickens decide.

Mrs K

 

[aart]

Re-posted, please comment on this link!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/integration-trouble.1207259/

It's really rather confusing (and hard to help) to have 2 threads (started 3 hours apart)going on the same issue.

 

[ChickenGirl555]

Truthfully, we may be talking at cross purposes. If you are thinking a cardboard box where the chicks would spend nearly all of their time in it, no that won't work.

If you are thinking of a cardboard box, where the birds can go to warm up, or sleep the night in it, that will work. Put them in the box at night a few times in the brooder, so they get the idea. In the day time, put the box outside in the run. You really need to get them outside, it is better for them. That should be placed in a safe zone in the run. They will naturally return there at dark, and you can move them and the box easily to the coop.

Just use a bock with 4 flaps, cut the side flaps off. Tape down the top flap, and the chicks will easily be able to get in there.

They really need to be spending most of the day outside. They will do fine outside if they have a shelter they can go into as they want. I believe in letting my chickens decide.

Mrs K

I am thinking the cardboard box will be an area I will put their food/water in, so the adults don’t eat all their food, and a safe zone if the Bigs start hurting them. It will be a place they sleep and keep warm in though. Basically I’m using it for a safe zone, and warm up house. I WILL move it at the times you said though.