Integration - What to Expect

[ReelFaster]

There is already a lot of great content about this topic I've read, so thank you for that info and allowing me to formulate a game plan.

Just a little background, I have 3 hens all roughly 1yr old give or take. Two 8+ week old chicks in an adjacent run separated by a gate & chicken wire. They have been living in this run for about a week + now. I sprinkle food along the gate few times a day so they all eat together. When I let the hens out to free range, I let the chicks out into the main run to get acquainted with their soon to be run. This weekend I plan on integrating them full time. Now a couple of times I mixed the chicks with the hens and well...... they got pecked which I expected.

I just wanted to get more info from folks who may have experienced this first hand on what I can fully expect once they are integrated. How much pecking is too much? How long does this typically last? I know it looks and sounds worse than it really is but just want to get a good handle on it not going to far. I plan as mentioned in several threads to add some obstacles, places the smaller chicks can only get to, adding more food and water and I also plan on keeping the adjacent run and making an entrance to it only big enough for the younger girls to access/escape. I also plan on putting them into the coop at night to start off the integration. Thanks much in advance!

 

[rosemarythyme]

How much pecking is too much? How long does this typically last? I know it looks and sounds worse than it really is but just want to get a good handle on it not going to far. I plan as mentioned in several threads to add some obstacles, places the smaller chicks can only get to, adding more food and water and I also plan on keeping the adjacent run and making an entrance to it only big enough for the younger girls to access/escape.

If chicks are being pecked to the point of injury, or being kept from eating or drinking, that's too much. Hens can be nasty for sure though. With my last group of chicks, one of my hens grabbed one and threw it a few feet while I was in the run - the chick got up and fled, uninjured, so I didn't intervene. They all learned to avoid her as soon as they spotted her so that was the important thing.

One thing to be careful with, due to the age of your chicks, is the sizing of chick only openings because your chicks are getting a bit big for that type of set up (which works best with chicks under 8 weeks old). If you have some smaller or thinner hens, they may be able to force their way into an opening meant for 8 week old chicks.

 

[ReelFaster]

Just wanted to share a little update and progress. But first a little background.

About two weeks ago I moved the two pullets into an adjacent run with the three older hens where they can see and hear each other through some chicken wire. During those first few days a couple of times (intentionally and unintentionally) the pullets got out into the main run and it was hostile. They were quickly chased and pecked pretty darn good with some screaming involved. Didn't think my sweet buff orpington could be that mean, but boy was she ever. Just about everyday since they moved into that adjacent run I've put their favorite cracked corn down along the gate that separates them so they are practically face to face all eating together.

Starting last week, about 3 or 4 nights I had been letting the little girls out to free range with the bigger hens. I sprinkled in some cracked corn in attempt to get them to feed together. There was some chasing and pecking but not too terrible. The two pullets are scared to death of the bigger hens, as soon as one of them turns towards them, they are outta there, sometimes screaming for no reason, it's actually pretty funny. They are way faster than the buff orpington (Elsa). She seems to be the only one who really cares. My easter egger could care less, hasn't once tried to peck or chase them. My plymouth rock will chase a little but never closes in to peck, it's like the chase was enough for her, no need to peck, she is a sweetie.

This past long weekend despite the rain I spent a lot of time with them, letting them out to free range and interact with each other. And what an amazing difference I see. The chasing has pretty much all but stopped. Even when there is some chasing it not as nearly as aggressive as it was initially. I even had them all in the coop together (with the gate open) several times and it was completely different. The older hens went about their business for most part, if they chased it was a few steps just kinda to make sure the younger pullets were knowing their place and getting out of their way. What a difference, this being my first time owning chickens and doing an integration like this I was really nervous about what I saw with their first few interactions but I am feeling so much better about all this and I can see them all getting along at some point.

I plan on keeping them separated for a bit longer just because I can and will continue to do what I am doing so they get a little bigger.

Really some great advice on this forum and without a doubt keeping them separated but being able to see each other I truly believe has made a HUGE difference. It really seemed to have diffused the aggression.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

I shall share my experiences.
I had a pretty simple integration, it worked really well though. This probably could've been done faster but I had a broody and didn't know how she would react to them.

7 week old chicks.

NOTE: chickens were all let out to free range together regularly, not separated, during integration

6th of May- chicks moving out! A part of the run was blocked off with a metal dog pen. It had holes big enough for chicks to stick heads through. It was near the adult drinker so that adult hens would have to go near the chick pen to drink, and get used to them. At night, the unused nesting boxes were blocked off for the chicks to sleep. They were taken out in the morning. This continued until.....

17th of May- sharing a run! The gate was opened but fence was still there for chicks to go back in (gate completely removed in 2 days). The chicks still slept separately.

21st of May- Sharing a coop! Chicks were still put inside the nesting boxes at night but the boxes weren't separated.

23rd of May- Official flock members! So proud of my chicks who went in the coop all by themselves! They still try to avoid the hens but they do not fight and live together well. Sometimes they do need a little peck from the older hens just to remind them who's boss.

 

[SueT]

It varies so much. You’ll just have to play it by ear and keep an eye on them. Make sure there are multiple feeders and waterers, and places for the youngsters to escape the elders.
Good luck!

 

[Ridgerunner]

How much pecking is too much? How long does this typically last?

There are different kinds of pecking. One is a "Leave me alone. It's bad chicken etiquette for social inferiors to bother their betters so go away". It usually doesn't take long for the young ones to learn to give the older ones room. That's the way it is supposed to work. That's why it is important for them to have enough room to run away and stay away.

The dangerous type of pecking is when the younger one is trapped or laying down. The older one is standing over them pecking, usually at the head. That's how chickens die. Even if they have a lot of room they might get trapped in a corner or against a fence or wall so there is always a risk, but I consider that pretty much a freak happening if they have a lot of room. I've never lost a chick to an adult from this but did lose a 15 week cockerel to another 15 week cockerel once.

With my flock this behavior lasts until they mature enough to join the pecking order. With my pullets that's usually when they start laying.

I can't tell you what to expect because this is my first rodeo, but what I absolutely didn't expect was for my Splits to spend so much time in their mini-coop-and-run when they have the big run to explore.

But it's very hot today so they may just be seeking shade.

I should respond on your thread but since you brought it up here.

That behavior is not strange at all. Some are bolder than others but they are prey animals, they can be really cautious. They are quite happy to stay someplace they feel comfortable until they build up the courage to go explore. I'm sure you've read on here where they stay pretty near the coop or run when you first start letting them free range but over time they go further.

One of my stories you've probably read before. When I open the pop door on the coop and give them their first access to the run, some groups are all on the ground within 15 minutes. Sometimes it's the third day before the first one hits the ground, and that one often goes back in the coop within a few minutes. But eventually they figure it out. For the slower ones it's hilarious watching a couple go to the pop door and look outside. At first they don't even stick their head outside but eventually will poke their head out to get a good look. Then decide not yet, and walk away.

Be patient. Let them work it out on their schedule. They will get there.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

REMEMBER Its always better to take it slow than rush into it

 

[Sueby]

You've gotten great advice here.

I'll just add that chickens can be so mean! & that's normal. I had one integration where I ended up culling a mean girl & one that went great.

This last integration was pretty smooth, but still a bit hard to watch at times because, as I said, chickens are mean! There was chasing & pecking & not letting the littles near the food that lasted for weeks, but with tons of feeders & plenty of space it calmed down pretty quick. After a couple months they now roost together in the run & that's a success to me.

The first integration...ugh. The mean girl was relentless, she would pin the littles down & beat on them. She drew blood & pulled feathers. She would run all the way across the run (which is 1500 sf, so not small) to go after a little. I tried separating her, I tried pinless peepers, I tried everything & in the end I culled her for the peace of the flock & we're all happier for it.

So my advice is keep an eye on them, if there is blood drawn step in but do realize that there will be mean girl stuff happening & that's normal. Good luck!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I keep my littles in an adjacent pen for about three weeks. When when I open the gate and they start milling around together, they don't even seem to realize there is no separation. They are just one big happy family. No pecking, no chasing, no problems. About a week later I close the doors to their little coop/brooder so they have to roost with the big birds. Usually they roost on the floor for a while but eventually they find their way up to the actual roosts with not much trouble.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

what I can fully expect once they are integrated. How much pecking is too much? How long does this typically last?

My chicks get a little peck every few days by Fries if they get too close to her. Mostly during feeding time. It isn't a hard peck.
When the chicks are eating, Fries will come over and just make a noise, the chicks run off and will let her eat alone for a bit before going on the other side of the feeder to eat