- Mar 28, 2017
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I have read some of the articles on flock integration but I have a situation that's a little different I could use some advice on. I have several different ages of chicks/chickens.
a) three days old (hopefully will be able to sell/give away all but may end up keeping a few)
b) six weeks old (three cockerels and a pullet)
c) ten weeks old (I think all or at least mostly pullets - down to 15 and will be down to 11-13 by Wed)
d) adult birds (four hens about a year old plus a rooster of the same age I am getting today and will introduce tonight)
I have a main chicken coop for the "D" birds. I have a relatively small but workable grow-out coop where the "C" birds are currently which is next to the big coop - they have been there two weeks. It's not close enough that they're eye to eye through the attached run but the can see each other. I have the "B" birds in my basement in a dog crate but they're ready to go outside. And I have the "A" birds in a brooder. The "B" birds are needing to go out because they're aging out of the basement fast. Would it be best to:
1) Introduce the C birds to the D birds around the time I'm adding the rooster (this weekend) then use the grow out coop for the B birds?
2) Introduce the B birds to the the C birds and keep them all in the group out coop for now while the rooster gets acclimated to the adult hens, then introduce that whole group to the adults down the road? If so, I could wait until after Wed (two to four birds will be going home with someone else that day).
3) Alternate suggestions?
a) three days old (hopefully will be able to sell/give away all but may end up keeping a few)
b) six weeks old (three cockerels and a pullet)
c) ten weeks old (I think all or at least mostly pullets - down to 15 and will be down to 11-13 by Wed)
d) adult birds (four hens about a year old plus a rooster of the same age I am getting today and will introduce tonight)
I have a main chicken coop for the "D" birds. I have a relatively small but workable grow-out coop where the "C" birds are currently which is next to the big coop - they have been there two weeks. It's not close enough that they're eye to eye through the attached run but the can see each other. I have the "B" birds in my basement in a dog crate but they're ready to go outside. And I have the "A" birds in a brooder. The "B" birds are needing to go out because they're aging out of the basement fast. Would it be best to:
1) Introduce the C birds to the D birds around the time I'm adding the rooster (this weekend) then use the grow out coop for the B birds?
2) Introduce the B birds to the the C birds and keep them all in the group out coop for now while the rooster gets acclimated to the adult hens, then introduce that whole group to the adults down the road? If so, I could wait until after Wed (two to four birds will be going home with someone else that day).
3) Alternate suggestions?
