Integration struggles

[rosemarythyme]

This photo is taken from above in .5 mode. This welded wire divides the tall part of the run down the diagonal, and is four feet tall. Despite my efforts to open the “door” of it (aka unhooking it from the side farthest from the food) without using my hands as a chicken would, I have not been able to. I don’t understand how they did it yesterday.

That doesn't look like a lot of space to work with, so that's why you're having a tough time.

I'm betting the younger birds are just going over the top to get out, and then maybe trying to squeeze back in afterwards, if you're finding the fencing dislodged on sides.

Can you possibly borrow a large wire dog crate from someone and use that instead? Would be far easier to access, be a bit more out of the way, and escape free.

 

[3KillerBs]

I am attempting to do that, but the younger ones are choosing to leave their spaces that I have tried to make un leaveable.

I had that issue with one batch of chicks. They squeezed through the tiniest gaps in the integration pen from about day 3. I even found one up on the perch -- barely visible between two of the big girls (she was a California White, which are Leghorn-adjacent).

On the one hand, securing the integration pen is desirable.

On the other hand, if no one is getting hurt you *might* choose to leave well-enough alone. That's what I ended up doing. BUT, I have a placid flock of mainly Australorps, who are very much used to new chicks coming in since I hatch about 8 months of the year, and I have a mature rooster who likes chicks and helps protect them from any hens who might get rough about enforcing the pecking order.