Introducing chicks to chickens. I am just overreacting, right?

Silkiesaz

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Mar 18, 2016
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Hi all, I should know this by now but I am known for stressing over pointless things. I am trying to introduce 5, 6-7 week old chicks into my big chicken coop. There is normally 12 chickens in the coop, 11 hens and 1 rooster but right now its just 4 hens. The rooster and other hens will back by Sunday. The hens are pecking the chicks even when the chicks are being really nice. Is that normal? And will my Rooster hurt them because he is so big and they are so tiny?
 
You are not over reacting! This is a very big deal and the young chicks could be very seriously harmed by the big's. If you search on "Integration," you should find a lot of very informative threads on this subject with different ideas on how to make Integration a success. It sounds like you have just put the little's in with the big's with no separation? It's a very good idea to keep them separated at first. Whether you can split a section in your run/coop with wire or put the little's in a big wire cage where they can be seen but not pecked, whatever you can do, the big's need to get used to idea of them before they have actual access to them. Glad you were smart enough to consider this. Again, you're not over reacting, you're doing the right thing to go slow and be concerned.
 
You are not over reacting! This is a very big deal and the young chicks could be very seriously harmed by the big's. If you search on "Integration," you should find a lot of very informative threads on this subject with different ideas on how to make Integration a success. It sounds like you have just put the little's in with the big's with no separation? It's a very good idea to keep them separated at first. Whether you can split a section in your run/coop with wire or put the little's in a big wire cage where they can be seen but not pecked, whatever you can do, the big's need to get used to idea of them before they have actual access to them. Glad you were smart enough to consider this. Again, you're not over reacting, you're doing the right thing to go slow and be concerned.
Thank you for the advice! Would a wooden pallet leaned against the wall with wire on it work well?
 
There is nothing wrong with being creative and using what you have on hand. I just saw your comment that you have already done a "no touch" situation. What is your setup? Do you have pics? Do they free-range? The more room they have especially if the big's free-range the easier this transition can be. Try to create ways for the little's to get away from the big's to hide, where only the little's can fit. I split my run down the middle with temp fencing that I made from wire and old fence boards. I bend the wire at the very bottom up just enough for little's to scoot under it but big's can't fit. They live that way for weeks and then slowly I remove fence panels. Eventually the little's are close enough in size that I don't have to worry so much.
 
This is what I was trying to describe. As super little's they live in their own coop and run, attached to the big coop and run. Next step when they're about 7 weeks is this one. Temp fencing in big run where only little's can fit under the fence board/wire where the blue arrow is..... Works great for me time after time.
Integrationfence.JPG
 
I apparently raise jerk chickens because I've never been able to succeed at integrating new ones with the resident chickens. I free range and I only let them mingle when they're out and about or my old hens will torment the young pullets. I have two separate housing for them and if one of the young ones inadvertently goes in the wrong one to roost they'll get pecked until they go back to where they are supposed to be. It's frustrating that they can't coexist in one coop but I've accepted that's how it's going to be. After about two years they start to flock together a little bit more but never like the batches raised together. Good luck and it looks like you're doing everything you should be by the look but don't touch method.
 
I apparently raise jerk chickens
LOL! Out of curiosity what breed(s)? Over the years I've stopped getting breeds that I've had to hard of time with even though if I say RIR's are mean, many people will tell me they've had nothing but nice ones. I get that so it's just my own personal science at work. I've always been successful but I do totally get what you're saying as some my flocks would prefer to not roost together ever, with the option to roost separately that I do give them like you do. It's just that after a year when I need to start a new group, I need them to move out of the small coop so I don't give them a choice anymore. It's never easy and I play chicken jenga sometimes at roost time moving them around but ultimately since I'm not going to do that every single night they just have to figure it out.
 
This is what I was trying to describe. As super little's they live in their own coop and run, attached to the big coop and run. Next step when they're about 7 weeks is this one. Temp fencing in big run where only little's can fit under the fence board/wire where the blue arrow is..... Works great for me time after time.
View attachment 3211575
My chicken coop is basically a big room split in two. The little chicks lived in the people side with their mama for the first 4 weeks of their life. I had to move them up closer to me after their mama passed away. They visited the big chickens a few times and the big chickens know who the chicks are. If I put them back in the people part where the big chickens can see and ear them for a week or two then let them in with the adults would that work?
 
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