Hello I’ve never had integration problems as each barptch of chicks (chicken math) was 2 week older than the last. These were all spring purchases. I got 4 day old chicks almost 5 weeks ago and the temps are dropping. They are in a bought coop from tsc by themselves. I am just concerned they are going to be cold. I currently have 9 girls and 2 boys all under a year (youngest is 5 mo) in a 10x10 shed. I was wondering if it would be wise to try to integrate the chickies into the rest of the flock in the shed with everyone else or do you think they will be ok in their coop. Keep in mind I’m in nw pa. We’ve had frost and it’s been wet and cold and rainy.
Integration questions
- Thread starter Jandsloch
- Start date
- Jan 13, 2019
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How many young chicks are there? If there are only a few, putting them into a coop full of older birds would probably not go so well. However if there are 7+, I would feel comfortable putting them in with the others. Is there any way you could put a heat source into the chick's coop??
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- #3
I have never used a heat source for them. They were originally housed in a giant bin in the shed at night and out side in the bin during day. It was quite warm when we got them. Then we turned the shed into a coop so I put them in the tsc coop with the enclosed run. The bigger ones go over to their run but never seemed bothered by them. There are 4 and I have to add they are brahmas so they’re a bit bigger than the average 5 wk old
adding a pic of my shed as it was in progress...in the spring we are adding a brooder under the poop board but doing it now is not an option out of time 
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- #4
- Jan 13, 2019
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That't a great idea. Put them together temporarily on Saturday, and see how they do. If it goes well, put them in a small pen or crate in your older chicken's coop so they can see eachother through the night.
I'd make a 'safe place' for the chicks to shelter in.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/
- Thread starter
- #7
Perhaps I could temporarilyfence off a section under the poop board. But I think I used all my fencing to go around the outside of shed....hmmm.....I have Saturday and Sunday off (for once) so I will have to see how it goes in daylight and then if well I’ll see what I can do in the shed thanks guys! I guess I just needed reassurance what I was doing was ok. I did have chicks I integrated at 6 weeks with these guys and no one cared really but I recently lost a good potion of my flock to a predator including those chickies at 10 weeks. I’ve set all kinds of traps and not caught a thing. Also they don’t get into the rest of fenced yard unless someone is outside.
thanks guys! I guess I just needed reassurance what I was doing was ok. I did have chicks I integrated at 6 weeks with these guys and no one cared really but I recently lost a good potion of my flock to a predator including those chickies at 10 weeks. I’ve set all kinds of traps and not caught a thing. Also they don’t get into the rest of fenced yard unless someone is outside.- Thread starter
- #8
I got 4 day old chicks almost 5 weeks ago and the temps are dropping. They are in a bought coop from tsc by themselves. I am just concerned they are going to be cold.
They won't be any colder than they can handle. Being 5 weeks old and kept outside, their down and feather coats will keep them warm enough. Your job is not to give them a warm place, it's to give them a place they can keep themselves warm. You do that by giving them a dry place out of direct wind.
Your biggest risk once it droops below freezing is frostbite. The biggest cause of frostbite is lack of ventilation as that allows moisture to build up in the coop from their breathing, their wet poop, waterers, or spilled water. Those TSC coops (and practically all prefab coops) are notorious for not having enough ventilation. Could you post a link to the one you got, maybe we could give you suggestions on how to do that without creating breezes hitting them directly.
I was wondering if it would be wise to try to integrate the chickies into the rest of the flock in the shed with everyone else or do you think they will be ok in their coop.
With proper ventilation they will be OK in their coop. But I think it is still a good idea to start the integration process. You want those pullets in that coop when they start laying so they can use the nests. Aart loves to complicate things, I sometimes tease her about that, but her method is very safe. Sometimes these integrations are as smooth as you saw this spring, sometimes they can be disasters. You can't tell ahead of time. I strongly believe the more room you give them the better off you are.
My basic suggestions are to house them where they can see each other for a while but not touch. Have separate and widely spaced feeding and watering stations so they can all eat without causing conflict (sometimes the older ones bully them away from the food or water). Give them as much room as you can and improve the quality of that room by giving them places to hide under, behind, or over by breaking the line of sight. Take your time, don't rush it. I like to let them range together during the day before I try to put the in the same coop to sleep. Let them work it out on their schedule as much as you can. I've never used that safe haven/panic room but in many cases it is a great idea.
I don't know how your two coops are arranged. If you can, I'd position the TSC coop next to the other one so they can see each other. Make a connection between the runs. After at least a week and when you can observe, let them roam together during the day. Let them return to their own coop at night. After they have roamed together during the day for a month try to move them to the main coop at night.
I consider this overkill, Aart can tease me back if she wishes. I don't do it this way. My brooder is in the coop so they are essentially raised with the flock. I have a lot of room, at least an order of magnitude greater than the recommendations you see on here for outside. My large main coop is cluttered, they have a lot of places they can hide under, behind, or above. I have weather they can pretty much be outside all day every day. Your weather may create some problems for you. At five weeks I just open the brooder door and let them mingle. I think you are in a different place so I would be more cautious.
Just do the best you can and observe. It will probably work out with less drama than many people would expect.. And don't worry about cold, worry about ventilation.
They won't be any colder than they can handle. Being 5 weeks old and kept outside, their down and feather coats will keep them warm enough. Your job is not to give them a warm place, it's to give them a place they can keep themselves warm. You do that by giving them a dry place out of direct wind.
Your biggest risk once it droops below freezing is frostbite. The biggest cause of frostbite is lack of ventilation as that allows moisture to build up in the coop from their breathing, their wet poop, waterers, or spilled water. Those TSC coops (and practically all prefab coops) are notorious for not having enough ventilation. Could you post a link to the one you got, maybe we could give you suggestions on how to do that without creating breezes hitting them directly.
I was wondering if it would be wise to try to integrate the chickies into the rest of the flock in the shed with everyone else or do you think they will be ok in their coop.
With proper ventilation they will be OK in their coop. But I think it is still a good idea to start the integration process. You want those pullets in that coop when they start laying so they can use the nests. Aart loves to complicate things, I sometimes tease her about that, but her method is very safe. Sometimes these integrations are as smooth as you saw this spring, sometimes they can be disasters. You can't tell ahead of time. I strongly believe the more room you give them the better off you are.
My basic suggestions are to house them where they can see each other for a while but not touch. Have separate and widely spaced feeding and watering stations so they can all eat without causing conflict (sometimes the older ones bully them away from the food or water). Give them as much room as you can and improve the quality of that room by giving them places to hide under, behind, or over by breaking the line of sight. Take your time, don't rush it. I like to let them range together during the day before I try to put the in the same coop to sleep. Let them work it out on their schedule as much as you can. I've never used that safe haven/panic room but in many cases it is a great idea.
I don't know how your two coops are arranged. If you can, I'd position the TSC coop next to the other one so they can see each other. Make a connection between the runs. After at least a week and when you can observe, let them roam together during the day. Let them return to their own coop at night. After they have roamed together during the day for a month try to move them to the main coop at night.
I consider this overkill, Aart can tease me back if she wishes. I don't do it this way. My brooder is in the coop so they are essentially raised with the flock. I have a lot of room, at least an order of magnitude greater than the recommendations you see on here for outside. My large main coop is cluttered, they have a lot of places they can hide under, behind, or above. I have weather they can pretty much be outside all day every day. Your weather may create some problems for you. At five weeks I just open the brooder door and let them mingle. I think you are in a different place so I would be more cautious.
Just do the best you can and observe. It will probably work out with less drama than many people would expect.. And don't worry about cold, worry about ventilation.
- Thread starter
- #10
Posting pic of the tsc coop I have. The roof is not attached on 3 of 4 side of the “house” I think it’s plenty ventilation for 4 chicks plus a “window” on backside where if necessary I can open it won’t blow on them as they aren’t that tall...yet. I hate this coop. Also posting a pic of front of shed before we converted it bc u can see the “run” or chicken yard I like to call it bc it’s huge to the right. The tsc coop is on the other side of the yard. They have “seen” each other in here since the chicks were 2 weeks....so for about 3 weeks. Like I said the bigs go over there and aren’t bothered by them and chicks likewise. There are plenty of places for chicks to hide. Yes they r feathered but not fully. One is an accidental boy and hardly has feathers like the other 3. The only reason I’m concerned is bc at night they chirp so loudly I assume bc they r cold. No food or water in the tsc coop bc they don’t need it 24/7 at this age. I have plenty of feeders and waterers around so no bullying. I’ll do supervised visitation and if it goes well put them with everyone else. I want them in chicken shed before the white stuff flies for sure lol so I’ll start now
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