Integration - What to Expect

[PippinTheChicken]

Good luck.

And don't worry, I was freaking out when my babies first left me! But they have been so much happier and energetic since they moved out.
I know someone who would just put their chickens together and watch them to make sure there were no injuries (without integration!) and it worked out okay for them.
So I'm sure with careful integration, it will work out

 

[Sueby]

I let my littles sleep in their own coop for a couple months, but lay eggs in the big coop. Then one day I closed it off & herded them into the big coop. All was well & they have gone into the big coop every night since. It worked well for my set up & I'd do it again that way next time.

 

[rosemarythyme]

One last question and it's been recommended in a few threads is start off by placing them in the coop at night and being there 1st thing in the morning in anticipation of any bullying. Has anyone done this with success? Or did you work your way up to them roosting together at night?

I don't do the night time thing, because if anything severe were to happen, by the time you get up it'd be too late.

My chicks and adults meet outside in the run, where the chicks are brooded, for a couple of weeks, and then chicks begin getting access to the run a little at a time. When they're ready, the chicks choose to go into the coop with the adults, and that's when I feel comfortable leaving them together through the night.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/short-on-time-recycle-a-prefab-brooder.73985/ - I have integration notes from my last 2 chick integrations on here, further down the article.

 

[chickencoop57]

They will always peck on the lil ones, from time to time, when they get in the older ones way, until theyre big enough to fend for them selves. I have 2 and 3 month old's running with 1 and 2 year old hens, right now, and I see all the time. Its not unusual, unless you see one bleeding, then just seperate it for a while, until it heals, then intergrate back in.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Agreed! I think I might let them out together to free range a bit this week

yes it helps. I did it. The chicks have all of the garden space to run free and avoid the adults, but they can still see each other. And there is less stress than being trapped together

 

[3KillerBs]

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

Yes.

It just surprised me because they had had a pen almost half the size of this in their previous home and had spent the entire week previous trying to get out every time I attempted to change the water or give them feed.

It's 92 in the shade today.

 

[ReelFaster]

Great info everyone thanks so much! I am plan on starting this Friday evening and being I have a 3 day weekend I can spend more time keeping an eye on them.

One last question and it's been recommended in a few threads is start off by placing them in the coop at night and being there 1st thing in the morning in anticipation of any bullying. Has anyone done this with success? Or did you work your way up to them roosting together at night?

P.S. I had to google pinless peepers, am cracking up, never seen or heard of them........

 

[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.

Sorry. I realized this was not very clear. They were in the house till about five or six weeks old. Then they went into the grow-out pen for about three weeks before opening the gate that separated them from the adults. By that time they were pretty good sized.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

So, lots of ways to do it depending on your setup. Main thing is to provide hideouts for the littles that they can't get trapped in, and extra feeders and waterers, and keep an eye on things. You'll do fine! Good luck!

 

[ReelFaster]

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

Agreed! I think I might let them out together to free range a bit this week