introducing babies to flock

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junebuggena said:
I integrate chicks that young all the time. The key is a separate coop and run for the chicks. After a few weeks of living next door, they get to have time with the flock in the main run, with the safety of their coop/run to retreat to if needed. Then, after a few weeks of that, they move in with the grown ups. Young chicks are usually completely ignored by the adult birds. It's when they are older that integration becomes more difficult and takes longer.
The key to any smooth integration is ample space for all and multiple feeders and waterers.
Click to expand...
Ditto Dat^^^

Younger they are the easier the integration, chicks pose little threat to adult birds.
 
I have my 4 week old "Toddlers" as we call them in a pen right beside the oldest "Ginny" at 1 yr. She paces forever up against the pen with them, she is getting used to them, talks to them, but of course they are not ready to deal with that pecking order! what are ya'll's thoughts on this?
 
missy1971 said:
I have my 4 week old "Toddlers" as we call them in a pen right beside the oldest "Ginny" at 1 yr. She paces forever up against the pen with them, she is getting used to them, talks to them, but of course they are not ready to deal with that pecking order! what are ya'll's thoughts on this? 
Click to expand...


Ok well the toddlers went into the main coop/pen today, they are doing great! The pic below shows how I build their own little space. Ginny has the top and I built a lower area and new boxes..they love it!

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Make sure that the chicks have a safe space to escape to which has food & water, and is too small for an adult chicken to get into. We like to use a cinder block on its side as an entrance, with a step at the base to block more if necessary when they are free-ranging. The chicks should be enclosed in their own space initially, though, but let your hen see & interact with them through their enclosure. Whenever we introduce chicks we do it this way and more than once we've had an adoptive mother start tidbitting to them and offering foster care. Even if that doesn't happen they should be just fine once everyone knows who is who and who is in charge.
 
authHeirlooms said:
Make sure that the chicks have a safe space to escape to which has food & water, and is too small for an adult chicken to get into. We like to use a cinder block on its side as an entrance, with a step at the base to block more if necessary when they are free-ranging. The chicks should be enclosed in their own space initially, though, but let your hen see & interact with them through their enclosure. Whenever we introduce chicks we do it this way and more than once we've had an adoptive mother start tidbitting to them and offering foster care. Even if that doesn't happen they should be just fine once everyone knows who is who and who is in charge.
Click to expand...
Yes i did that...and they are doing great in the pen all together. The first couple of nights Ginny watched over them, i had to close her off in her igloo to get her to settle, now she is good! Ginny let them know who is in charge, but wasn't nasty about it. Now the toddlers are figuring their own pecking order! lol
 

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