Introducing 16 6 week old chicks to flock of 16

[LilJoe]

We haven't built our run yet so our chicks are in the other side of the coop and have a small "introduction pen" but the older chickens don't pay much attention to them. We took them out once and one of our hens pecked and chased one of the chicks. Without the chicks getting hurt what's the best way to introduce them with the rest of the flock?

 

[LilJoe]

Please help!

 

[dandan111]

Put half of them in there at night and go out in the morning and see what's going on.
I bet they will be ok. Put the other half of them the next night. That's how I'd do it.

 

[LilJoe]

Put half of them in there at night and go out in the morning and see what's going on.
I bet they will be ok. Put the other half of them the next night. That's how I'd do it.

.....honestly we have a VERY aggressive hen and rooster when it comes to roosting, the ones at the top of the pecking order get the top roost and at the bottom get the bottom roost. And I honestly don't think the chicks would be safe

because some of our cochins fall off the roosts....and because of my older birds picking on them....

....

 

[dandan111]

Pecking orders will happen. The new birds will stay low or on the ground even.
They will figure it out.

 

[LilJoe]

Ok, and what I'm mostly worried about is free ranging

 

[LilJoe]

They're all getting along great!

 

[CarolB865]

They're all getting along great!

So what did you end up doing to integrate the little ones?

 

[LilJoe]

Having a two sided coop and an introduction pen helped. After few weeks we let them out and I guess seeing and hearing them helped. Just a few chases and pecks and it was all good!

 

[TheTwoRoos]

We haven't built our run yet so our chicks are in the other side of the coop and have a small "introduction pen" but the older chickens don't pay much attention to them. We took them out once and one of our hens pecked and chased one of the chicks. Without the chicks getting hurt what's the best way to introduce them with the rest of the flock?

Leave them locked up to they are a little older (8 or 12 weeks.)Them getting ran off is all part of the Order,let it happen.