More New than Old introducing birds

[SD Bird Lady]

I have 5 pullets that will be 1 yr. in May. I have 15 chicks and 2 ducks (2.5 weeks old) that I am currently brooding inside but they should be able to venture to the coop in about 2 weeks. My question is that usually when making introductions you are adding a few birds into a larger flock. I was thinking of maybe doing the opposite and confining the 5 girls to a small area in the coop and giving the newbies free reign and then slowly introducing them. This would work better with the smaller amt. being in the smaller area. Plus the way my coop is laid out they would still have their nest boxes. I would basically be spliting it diagonally with chicken wire giving the new birds access to the coop and the run and leaving the big girls the nest boxes and free range access. Do you think that it will upset things too much? Maybe upsetting things is good in terms of a pecking order?

 

[sourland]

What you suggest should work very well. I would hold off on integrating the flocks until the young birds are almost as large as your older hens.

 

[SD Bird Lady]

That is why I came up with this split because it would be easier to leave them seperate for a longer time....I need them outta the house before they will be able to be together. Thanks sourland!

 

[sourland]

I can understand that "I need them outta the house." Amazing how much dust and dander they can create. It can cause severe allergic reactions in some people.

 

[nok13]

OMG i have 22 baby thai fighting chicken babies inside my small apartment... yesterday we separated the 8 older ones that were born here in an incubator; the rest are various ages since they hatched natural but the hens are nesting in an area that doesnt allow them to really care for their chicks (up high off the ground in veggie boxes -- the hens chose, not us, and refused to move so we had to move them back)... yesterday we brought yet another 3 day old chick; he integrated fine with the younger ones... the 8 are now in my son's ex bedroom along with my sewing machine!!!!!! grrrrrrrr.... a bed frame and small linen closet which means i have to walk thru chicken messes to do anything. its a very small room (by american house standards), not even the size of my sister's walk in closet in her house) but we can open the window to get them used to colder temps slowly... the babies are in their living room corner... all i can say in im glad my eldest worked in a zoo with monkeys so that animal smell doesnt bother her (hubby is from thailand and having baby chicks in open air house is par for the course in his family living areas), but frankly, my house smells like a hcicken coop!!!!!...
also, the layer feed has that 'feed store' smell too... not to mention the two furry dogs who have been 'cleaning up' the chicken area (and one dog , well,think pasty butt on an unclipped lhasa apso, icchhhhhhhh)...
so i go off to work in high heels and buttoned up shirt etc, little do my friends know that i go home for lunch (two minutes away from home, on kibbutz) and feed 22 chicks indoors, and another group of chickens out doors.. and then run back to work..at this very moment, i hear the big guys walkign around and peaking under the door, and the stupid dog is guarding the door (he wont touch them as they have pecked him enough on the nose to make their point)...
one more month for decent weather and hubby will Have to move them to the faraway coop (these have feathers already.) hopefully they will still be baby enough so that the main roos wont kill them (although these babies are already sizing eachother up, and doing the 'fighting chicken' dance... which is good, it teaches them to show submission, so they dont get in to too many fights... i find it amazing that they have this attitude so programed in to their genetics... btw, these big guys, they answer to my husband calling them (by name)..

 

[SD Bird Lady]

It is funny how people just assume they know your life by what you wear or what job you have. My chickens aren't bothering too much, they are in the downstairs utility/bathroom. However, the 2 little ducks are making enough of a mess for about 40 chicks....darn ducks! We are in the middle of a horrible blizzard right now but by 4 weeks everyone will be kicked out with a heat lamp and a prayer. Only the strong will survive but I really have no huge concerns I think we already lost the weak ones and My full grown hens put off enough heat to keep it tolderable in the coop at all times.