Introducing chicks to the adult flock's sleeping quarters. Advice?

[Evie_W]

Hi everyone,

I've recently been rasing a couple of chicks with a broody hen. The chicks and the hen spend their days freeranging with the adults but return to their seperate quarters at night. The chicks are now 6 weeks old and big enough to climb the ramp into the coop, and I want my garden shed back, so I've decided it's time to integrate them fully. Any suggestions on the best way of going about this? Should i wait until they're all asleep and move mum and bubs to the main coop?

Cheers!

 

[Tressa27884]

I think that if they're all together during the day, you should be ok - adding them into the main coop in the middle of the night. Good luck!

 

[ZombieChickens]

Quote:
....as long as there is somewhere for them to run and hide when all h-e-double-hockey-sticks breaks loose in the morning.

 

[cmom]

Quote:
....as long as there is somewhere for them to run and hide when all h-e-double-hockey-sticks breaks loose in the morning.

I agree. Freeranging together is one thing but when they are all together in the coop in the morning that is another thing. I just put some 4 and 5 month olds in with some 7 and 8 month olds and the older ones are chasing and pecking at the younger ones but nothing serious.

 

[Beekissed]

My broody pen is in visualization of the main coop, so my birds are well acclimated with both mom and chicks by the time to integrate.

Their first face to face encounter is out on the free range...I supervise this for a little while but it usually goes just fine. That night I just let them go into the big bird's coop...the first few times mom sleeps with the chicks on the floor and then she rejoins her flockmates at night.

I've been surprised at times to see some very, very small chicks perching next to their mom on 5ft. tall roosts~with no ladder up to the roosts.

If you free range, this gives the family plenty of opportunities to go off by themselves.

I've never had the other hens attack a Mom and chicks....ever.

 

[cmom]

I am surprised too sometimes how high my chicks will roost. I am surprised they can get there.