Introducing 9wk olds to single hen

[Sping25]

Hi All! Let me start off by saying, I am new to this. If you had told me a year ago that we would have chickens, I probably would have just smiled and nodded. But here we are, and I love it. So I have a question about introducing a little flock of 9 week old chicks to our remaining 6 month old hen (Alfredo). Alfredo lost all of her hen friends while we were away, and she was the lone survivor. We felt that getting her some flock pals would be a good idea, so off to the hatchery. Alfredo is a Cinnamon Queen, and the chicks are: Buff Orpington, Austrolarp, EE, and Silver Laced Wyandotte. Hope I spelled all that correctly. They have been raised in a three season room, and I haven't had the heat lamp on in a week or so after backing it off, except for one night when it was a sharp drop to 32 degrees. I open the big window when it's 50 or over. Today was sunny and warm-we moved their crate out to the outside of the run. Alfredo was not happy, but the chicks had a great time, and we returned them to the room in the evening.
So, I'm totally without a solid plan on what to do next. I have read that I need to create clutter in the run, and that they need more look but don't touch exposure to each other. How long should I let them hang out separated? Is there a way I'll know when to take the next step? I think I should wait to clutter until soon before moving the chicks in permanently, to throw Alfredo off with lots of new stuff, but I could be thinking off here. Please chime in, I do need advice!

 

[rosemarythyme]

How long should I let them hang out separated? Is there a way I'll know when to take the next step? I think I should wait to clutter until soon before moving the chicks in permanently

Figure 1-2 weeks of see but no touch to start. Ideally you want her to lose some/most interest in them before you let the chicks out.

You can clutter in advance or do it like the day you let the chicks out, to help discombobulate Alfredo a little. But since it's just one of her and 4 chicks this shouldn't be a difficult integration as long as there's plenty of space and options for the chicks to get away if needed.

 

[Sping25]

Thank you! I had a feeling that there was a timeline rule of thumb! As well as how things are going specifically in each situation.
Should I keep the chick crate outside of the run the whole time, or is there a point when I should try and move it into the run? It is pretty wide, and I'm not sure it will fit through the run door.

 

[Yardmom]

See no touch should be with the birds as close as reasonably possible. If there is a way to leave them together at night it could speed things along.

 

[NatJ]

GIven that you have 4 chicks and only one adult hen, you might try turning the chicks loose in the run and putting the hen in the crate. You could do this every day, or just sometimes. I would especially do it the last day or two before you put them all together.

It would also be useful to have clutter in the run when the chicks are in there but the adult hen is not, so the chicks can explore all sides of everything and learn where find the food and water and where they can run to escape if the hen chases them later.

 

[Sping25]

Thank you so much for your replies! We are having a warm week this week, so trying to take advantage of it before it snaps down to 24 for a low on Sunday. I have the crate of chicks right up to the run fencing, but no one can get pecked. I don't think I can put the crate in the coop overnight without pecking being a possibility, though I would like to. I might be able to get it in the door of the run, going to take a measure soon, but I'm worried about overnight predators to some degree.
I'm wondering about the chicks tolerance to colder weather, since this fall has been such a ping pong ball of temperatures, I feel that I haven't been very consistent in acclimating them. I knew getting them in the fall would present its own challenges with winter coming, but I just want to get them out safely.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Should I keep the chick crate outside of the run the whole time, or is there a point when I should try and move it into the run? It is pretty wide, and I'm not sure it will fit through the run door.

If it won't fit through the opening then outside should be good enough. Inside would be better simply because a run would be more secure than just a crate outside so if it can be broken down and reassembled, I'd opt for that.

 

[Mrs. K]

I think you are worrying needlessly about the whole deal. I agree with Nat.

At 9 weeks, you really do not need to worry about temperature, even wildly fluctuating temperatures. In SD, we routinely bounce 50 to 60 degrees in a day, and it doesn't bother any chickens. Freshly hatched chicks yes, but as long as I had wind protections, I would not worry about anything over 3 weeks. By 9 weeks, they probably look scraggly as they are growing into their feathers, but chickens produce a lot of heat and can manage temperatures way below 0..

As Nat say, 4 chicks to one hen, is going to be more bluster than anything. Chasing and pecking chicks takes a lot of work. Where the nightmare comes, is when you have 8 old biddies, and only 2 chicks. Then each old girl get's their licks in, on only 2 chicks, and that can get ugly.

But one old gal, and all those chicks running around, fast as lightening - not going to last long. She will mostly ignore them. And they will hang together, as a sub flock until they come into lay, so next spring, you will have one flock.

So, I would not stretch it out too long, I would add clutter, and multiple feed bowls set up, so that while eating at one, can't see who is eating at another.

I second Nat on, letting the chicks in the run with the biddy in the cage. This lets them explore without being chased, find the hideouts, and develop a little territorial rights. I swear, that the older birds see them in 'their' territory and the sky does not fall, and they get used to it.

I would do that three days. I would encourage them to roost in the hen house, even if in order to do that, I had to take the old bird in the cage to the garage or house. Then let her out in the run on the third day as close to dark, so that the urge to roost is about as strong as the urge to fight.

Mrs K