Introducing chicks to free range older hens

[Harmony Hill]

I have 7 chicks, 4/5 weeks old, 3 hens and 1 rooster about a year old. ( I did not get them as chicks so I am not positive). The older group is free range; I have a 6x12 run with a 6x4 coop; the older group goes in at night and will lay egss in coop, but don't spend much time around the coop and run at all. Currently, the chicks are in my garage in huge dog crate. I have set up a pen for them, along side the run and have let them out on just a couple nice days. Since the older group is free range, and not around thier coop much, do I still put the chicks in thier seperate run for a couple weeks? not now, when they are ready . Just trying to wrap my head around how to do this. If they are in thier pen and the nights are warm enough, which they should be soon; do I put the crate in thier pen to use as thier 'coop'? If so, do I cover it? I figured after a couple weeks, put the chicks in the real coop at night -after the others are in for the night? I have read where some people just put them out together and everything is worked out quickly because there are no room restrictions. Is that right? How will the chicks know to go to the coop at night? Follow the older group?
I want to do right by my girls, and keep the harmony on 'Harmony Hill"

Thanks in advance y'all - awesome folks on this site have helped me allot!

 

[Den in Penn]

I have a tractor coop I raise my chicks is that has a portable run I can attach. That is equivalent to your crate and pen. I move the tractor into the area where the chickens pasture, when the chicks are nearing eight weeks and let them get to know the older chickens through the wire before I let them mingle, free range, at around ten weeks. Putting the crate in their pen to use as the chicks coop while they finish out growing up is a good idea. I let then out to free range in the same area as the older ones at ten weeks. The chicks will usually go their own way for a while. Both groups will continue using their respective coop during this time. At some point you will most likely have to take them out of the crate and put them in the coop. Say when they are nearing POL. After several weeks of sharing the range with the older older ones there should be little pecking.
You might want to consider getting a larger coop. 6x4 is a good size for 5 birds, but with 11 it will be small.

 

[Harmony Hill]

Thanks! I was afraid my coop was not big enough. I got rather 'excited' at my local feed store when they got the chicks in.. I knew I should have stopped at the first 3

Should I cover the crate at night?

 

[Den in Penn]

Protecting them from rain and such would be a good thing. How secure would it be from predators? Chicken math can sneak up on one.

 

[Harmony Hill]

The run for the chicks uses the run of the older group, my back yard fence, which is no climb and the ends are chain link; I think I need to go around my backyard fence w/chicken wire, what about the chain link fence part? I do have netting over the top for them.
Man, another coop - and I just purchased this one. Even if the coop is 6x5 - that is still not big enough for all of them, is it? goodness....

 

[Den in Penn]

The chain link part is good if nothing can dig under it. Being a temporary set up it can be a little less secure depending on how much risk there is. A coop should have 4 sq ft. of space per chicken. 11 chickens x 4 sq ft= 44 sq ft. Your 6x5 =30 sq ft. Of course the amount of space can be worked around a little, but 14 sq ft short fall is a little much to easily work around.

 

[RnRRidgerunner]

I have 7 chicks, 4/5 weeks old, 3 hens and 1 rooster about a year old. ( I did not get them as chicks so I am not positive). The older group is free range; I have a 6x12 run with a 6x4 coop; the older group goes in at night and will lay egss in coop, but don't spend much time around the coop and run at all. Currently, the chicks are in my garage in huge dog crate. I have set up a pen for them, along side the run and have let them out on just a couple nice days. Since the older group is free range, and not around thier coop much, do I still put the chicks in thier seperate run for a couple weeks? not now, when they are ready . Just trying to wrap my head around how to do this. If they are in thier pen and the nights are warm enough, which they should be soon; do I put the crate in thier pen to use as thier 'coop'? If so, do I cover it? I figured after a couple weeks, put the chicks in the real coop at night -after the others are in for the night? I have read where some people just put them out together and everything is worked out quickly because there are no room restrictions. Is that right? How will the chicks know to go to the coop at night? Follow the older group?
I want to do right by my girls, and keep the harmony on 'Harmony Hill"

Thanks in advance y'all - awesome folks on this site have helped me allot!

Hey congratulations on the new chicks! I have four one year old hens and I just got two Buff Orpington pullets that are now 8 weeks old. I have reared them in the garage and have been taking them out in the nice days in a two foot high chicken wire fenced off area inside the 25ft by 25 ft X40 inches high chicken corral. I have two Barred Rocks and two RR's. The BR's seem still aggressive when in the same area. I just made a temporary coop for the Buffs to be put in the fenced area until they get a lot bigger. Sounds like you are doing the right thing about getting them used to each other. My concern here is with predators, raccoons, possums and even owls and snakes can easily go through a dog crate. I would advise you cover it entirely in 1/4 inch mesh wire and make sure the seams are impenetrable. The heavy gauge of the dog crate is good to keep out the more aggressive varmits such as coyote and fox and cougar. yeah I got them all in the woods here. lol So far all is well. I would also cover the top as a minimum and perhaps the prevailing directions of rain and storms. You can get the corrugated plastic in white to keep them cool and give shade during the hot days. Keep them dry yet airy. Let them roost in their crate until you feel they are safe to introduce to your hens and rooster. They should (I think) be large enough to defend themselves. My BR already wailed on one of my Buffs and I was within a foot from them. I had to brush her off fast. They can be cannibalistic so take care. Here are a couple of pictures to enjoy and perhaps serve as an idea or two.

The 55 gallon barrel I already had and some left over 1/2 inch plywood and hinges and latch and door handle from an old dresser. I put it on top of two shelves high of a Rubbermaid unit, and chock it with two tire chocks. TA DA temporary coop. I will put it outside in a couple of days soon as the chicks get used to it. Hope this all helps you, feel free to ask any questions about it. The chicken corral is made from PVC pipe and plastic 40 inch high fence from Home Depot. I have concrete blocks on the posts to keep them standing even in high winds. It can unfastened at the corners and be moved to a new location easily. The chicken tractor does not work easily with rocky terrain that I have here. LOL

 

[Harmony Hill]

Wow! Thanks for the suggestions and pictures! That helps allot. I will wrap them up tight to keep critters out.
with regards to the size of the coop - the 6x4 does not include the nesting boxes - does that matter? Probably not, but I sure am trying to make it work

 

[RnRRidgerunner]

Wow! Thanks for the suggestions and pictures! That helps allot. I will wrap them up tight to keep critters out.
with regards to the size of the coop - the 6x4 does not include the nesting boxes - does that matter? Probably not, but I sure am trying to make it work

Hello again! I just took a couple of pictures with my Buffs in the barrel. I thought you might get a kick out it. In regard to your coop with 11 hens, the more room the better, perhaps you could expand the one you have? The less room the more stress, the more stress, the more possible squabbles. Just saying would you crowd in 4 more people in your bed? I am sure you can work it out somehow.
Anyway, here are my pix, with chicks. lol When I move it outside I will have to weight the bottom shelf and possible stake and ratchet to ground. Oklahoma is windy and we get 60 mph gusts when fronts move in. This a temporary coop until they get larger. I will have to take my own advise and put some 1/4 inch mesh across the front when I take it outside. Good Luck with you expansion.

 

[Den in Penn]

Nice temporary barrel coop RnRRidgerunner. Definitely have to keep it from rolling in the wind. Maybe a cradle you can fasten it in and stake that to the ground.