Merging 2 flocks to 1 coop

[jslater14]

We are adding 6 new chicks to our current group of 3 big girls. The new chicks are about 8 weeks also. We are currently letting them free range together (even though they don’t pay each other much mind) and then during the day, keeping them all in the run but separated by a gate. At night I put the little girls in the shed to sleep and the big girls sleep in their coop.

How and when do I get them all to sleep in the same coop? The idea of mayhem is really stressing me out!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Just to clarify, they've free ranged together but haven't been in the run together? Or yes, they have been in the run together? Presuming they've been outside together both free and confined without issue they should be fine to coop up together.

You can either gather them up as you've been doing and put them in the coop instead of the shed, or if you want an extra layer of protection you can either put some sort of cage or crate inside the coop, and put the chicks in there, or separate part of the coop for them to use for the time being.

 

[jslater14]

Just to clarify, they've free ranged together but haven't been in the run together? Or yes, they have been in the run together? Presuming they've been outside together both free and confined without issue they should be Just to clarify, they've free ranged together but haven't been in the run together? Or yes, they have been in the run together? Presuming they've been outside together both free and confined without issue they should be fine to coop up together

They have been in the run together, but separated by a cage. So they haven’t been in the run without separation. And I wouldn’t say without incident, haha. Nothing crazy but the other girls, especially our mean one, has gone after them and pecked them.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I would want them to be capable of sharing space outside before I'd put them together inside. Pick a day when you can supervise for their first meeting, just to be safe. Clutter up the run to provide hiding spots https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/page-6#post-25037140 and add an extra feeder or two to help reduce resource guarding, if possible.

 

[jslater14]

I would want them to be capable of sharing space outside before I'd put them together inside. Pick a day when you can supervise for their first meeting, just to be safe. Clutter up the run to provide hiding spots https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/page-6#post-25037140 and add an extra feeder or two to help reduce resource guarding, if possible.

Ok, so I have supervised them all in the run together. For the most part, they kind of keep separate and do their own thing, but there are times when 2 of the big girls go after them and peck them. When that happens i “peck” the big girls with my fingers and tell them no (haha not sure if that even works on chickens”. They aren’t relentless but they do randomly go after them. Otherwise, they are all in the run together during the day, just separated or free ranging when they pay no attention to each other.

The little girls are currently in our shed and they roost on the play pen. It’s not ideal because they jump on other things in the shed. My husband is ready for them to go in the coop with the others, but I’m just not sure how to go about doing that and keep everyone safe

 

[rosemarythyme]

Ok, so I have supervised them all in the run together. For the most part, they kind of keep separate and do their own thing, but there are times when 2 of the big girls go after them and peck them. When that happens i “peck” the big girls with my fingers and tell them no (haha not sure if that even works on chickens”. They aren’t relentless but they do randomly go after them. Otherwise, they are all in the run together during the day, just separated or free ranging when they pay no attention to each other.

The little girls are currently in our shed and they roost on the play pen. It’s not ideal because they jump on other things in the shed. My husband is ready for them to go in the coop with the others, but I’m just not sure how to go about doing that and keep everyone safe

Sounds pretty good then, at least good enough to try putting them together.

Any photos of the coop, or a diagram of how it's laid out? Is it big enough to put a small cage or dog crate into, or is there a way to divide off part of the coop so the chicks have a protected space inside?

What I do is I put a rat cage inside the coop (as my dog crate doesn't fit through the door) and the chicks get placed inside once it's dark or very nearly dark.

I do that nightly until the chicks go into the coop on their own, and then at that point you can either just leave them spend the night where they will, or you can do like me and wait until they begin roosting on their own to remove the cage/divider inside. For me it's taken between 2 days up to 1 1/2 weeks for them to be roosting.

 

[jslater14]

Sounds pretty good then, at least good enough to try putting them together.

Any photos of the coop, or a diagram of how it's laid out? Is it big enough to put a small cage or dog crate into, or is there a way to divide off part of the coop so the chicks have a protected space inside?

What I do is I put a rat cage inside the coop (as my dog crate doesn't fit through the door) and the chicks get placed inside once it's dark or very nearly dark.

View attachment 3845888

I do that nightly until the chicks go into the coop on their own, and then at that point you can either just leave them spend the night where they will, or you can do like me and wait until they begin roosting on their own to remove the cage/divider inside. For me it's taken between 2 days up to 1 1/2 weeks for them to be roosting.

This is the best i have at the moment since it’s dark. It looks smaller than it is but it’s not huge. I think it’s like a 4ft long, 5ft wide and 4ft tall. The inside now has 2 rooster bars that sit higher and make an upside down “L” if that makes sense. The coop door is also automatic now

 

[rosemarythyme]

This is the best i have at the moment since it’s dark. It looks smaller than it is but it’s not huge. I think it’s like a 4ft long, 5ft wide and 4ft tall. The inside now has 2 rooster bars that sit higher and make an upside down “L” if that makes sense. The coop door is also automatic now

Hmm doesn't look very easy to divide since there's no studs to attach wire or netting to. Is there a human access door that you could fit a cage or dog/cat crate through?

 

[jslater14]

Hmm doesn't look very easy to divide since there's no studs to attach wire or netting to. Is there a human access door that you could fit a cage or dog/cat crate through?

Yes, so there has since been a door added to the right side in that pic. How big does it need to be? There’s 6 of the little girls. Do they need a perch? And how long do I do this before they go to the coop with no barrier?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Yes, so there has since been a door added to the right side in that pic. How big does it need to be? There’s 6 of the little girls. Do they need a perch? And how long do I do this before they go to the coop with no barrier?

Depending on how much space is in there and what you can fit through the door, the cage doesn't need to be large but it does need to have enough space at the chicks can move around a bit. For 6 chicks maybe 6 sq ft (so like 2'x3').

They don't need a perch, they can sleep on the ground without issue (I don't find adding a perch helps really with getting them to roost later).

For how long:

I do that nightly until the chicks go into the coop on their own, and then at that point you can either just leave them spend the night where they will, or you can do like me and wait until they begin roosting on their own to remove the cage/divider inside. For me it's taken between 2 days up to 1 1/2 weeks for them to be roosting.