Integration Question

[MotherofHens5819]

We are very new backyard chicken owners. We have 1 rooster and 3 hens at 10 weeks and 3 chicks at 5 weeks. We need these girls and boys to be integrated before we leave for vacation at the end of august but the concern is are we doing it eifht
1. For about a 2 weeks we had the chicks and pullets separated in two pens but could see each other. Then we would let them free range one group at a time.
2. Over the holiday weekend we started letting them free range together. I would however sort of get in between the pullets and babies if the older ones started chasing them to peck however I slowly backed away from that practice as the babies are keeping mainly to their own side of the yard and they tend to run away when the pullets come close. They have been pecked here or there but nothing vicious and no wounds. I am keeping a very close eye on it tho.
3. Today we started by putting the Littles in the run in a cage with the pullets. The babies were not happy and they did get Peck here or there but the Littles can sit in the corner and be okay. We are
Going to keep doing this for the foreseeable future and allow them free range all together.

I just watched them get close and Rocky sort of fluffed his feather at them
But didn’t chase and the Littles just ran the other way… so far though it’s not terrible but I’m worried I’m not integrating them right and they won’t be a cohesive flock by the time we leave and I don’t want to come home to a dead or injured chicken. Vacation is end of august. Thoughts?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Can we get a further back shot of your set up? Do the birds usually free range all day and will they be able to do so while you're gone? Asking because just going by the size of the dog kennel there, that looks tight for 7 birds for any period of confinement.

Otherwise everything you've described sounds normal so far, and not interfering has been the right course of action.

 

[MotherofHens5819]

Can we get a further back shot of your set up? Do the birds usually free range all day and will they be able to do so while you're gone? Asking because just going by the size of the dog kennel there, that looks tight for 7 birds for any period of confinement.

Otherwise everything you've described sounds normal so far, and not interfering has been the right course of action.

It goes back further they do have room in the back, here is an older picture that sort of shows that but your right it’s not a lot of space for it to be like that for long. We do it for a small timeframe then let them out to fee range then we do have separate pen for the babies to give everyone a break.