Integration Roadblock and Questions

[Mrs. K]

If a chicken can see every other chicken 100% of the time, you don't have enough clutter. Think of the vertical space they are not using. Add some roosts 3-5 feet off the ground. In that space I would have some pallets making vertical walls, just something a bird can step around and be mostly out of sight.

 

[BonnieBlue]

I added a pallet at an angle on cinders, and a 2' high roost last night. I am making another roost and finding other things today.

My brain did not process "clutter" and the intent. Thanks for all of the help!

 

[BonnieBlue]

Ok, I went back to the drawing board, and found what I could that I thought could be used, and tried to break up lines of sight.

Thoughts?

(Note: This was hard. I am ocd about organization and neatness. Books on the coffee table have to be squared up even. I hope the girls appreciate this. It all went against my nature!)

 

[Ridgerunner]

May I make a suggestion. Turn that chair upside down. When they perch on it they will poop. If it is normally upside down, when you want to sit in it just flip it and you should have a clean seat.

 

[BonnieBlue]

May I make a suggestion. Turn that chair upside down. When they perch on it they will poop. If it is normally upside down, when you want to sit in it just flip it and you should have a clean seat.

Excellent suggestion. Especially since that will be my chair!

 

[BonnieBlue]

Operation Integration Day 1:

So far, so good. The worst part was the hissy fit when I crated the two bigs to take them to the little girl run. The are skittish and I can't pick them up them unless they are roosting, so I did that early. At daylight, I let the little girls out into the big run, then the put the bigs in the little run. I locked the bigs out of the littles coop, so they can't go in there to just pout and hide.

The bigs never acted scared. Not going to the corner to get away when the littles were at the fence checking them out, no signs of aggression such as flapping and trying to intimidate the littles. About 10 seconds of stretching out and strutting, but after that, the bigs are either at the fence acting nonchalant pecking in the dirt right up next to the littles on the other side, or ignoring them.

The littles are having a blast. Running and stretching their wings, exploring, and now and then going up to the bigs just to say hi.

If today and tomorrow continue to go well like this, do you think I can do the evening coop change about 30 minutes before dark by just letting the big girls out of the littles run to go to their own coop, and the littles then be able to go into their run and coop? Maybe with such little time actually together, it's more like passing each other on shift change?

 

[Mrs. K]

Each of us do this differently. I would want my chicks in the big girls coop. I would keep the big girls in the little coop for a few days. Are the young birds roosting in the big girls coop? That is what you want.

Then I would open let the big girls out into the run with the chicks about thirty minutes before dark, locking the little coop from all. I would expect them to all go to sleep in the big coop and integration to be over. No need to drag it out forever.

Some people will leave both options open and let the birds make their own choices. Then when most are in the bigger coop, shut off the other.

Do not have them pass in the night, that is way too much fiddling around for no reason at all.

With your patience I would expect the meeting to be almost anticlimactic. If it is not, I would expect a bit of bluster, a charge or two, bluffs in and over.

Mrs k

 

[BonnieBlue]

Each of us do this differently. I would want my chicks in the big girls coop. I would keep the big girls in the little coop for a few days. Are the young birds roosting in the big girls coop? That is what you want.

Then I would open let the big girls out into the run with the chicks about thirty minutes before dark, locking the little coop from all. I would expect them to all go to sleep in the big coop and integration to be over. No need to drag it out forever.

Some people will leave both options open and let the birds make their own choices. Then when most are in the bigger coop, shut off the other.

Do not have them pass in the night, that is way too much fiddling around for no reason at all.

With your patience I would expect the meeting to be almost anticlimactic. If it is not, I would expect a bit of bluster, a charge or two, bluffs in and over.

Mrs k

The littles didn't even go into the big girl coop. They explored the run and that was it. At dusk, everyone was clammoring to go into their own coop. I was going to let the bigs into the littles coop, but they paced at the fence wanting out of the littles run to go into their own coop. When it gets dark, will they all seek shelter and go into coops? Or just stay in the run?

I am thinking I will let them mingle in the run a while before dark tonight, and let everyone go to their coop on their own. If all goes well, tomorrow, open the littles run and let everyone just do what they want, roost where they want. I was also thinking about in a few days, just scooping up the littles at night and put them in the big coop to wake up there, and close off their run and coop so they have to follow the bigs after that.

I am probably over thinking things, but having never done this, my big fear is a little getting seriously attacked.

Rereading, I see what you are explaining.