Move younguns to big coop or let them go on their own? Update-it was easier than I thought.

[off-grid hen]

This is my first flock integration. My big girls are just over a year old, and there are 11 of them.

I moved my nine 5-week olds out to the separate grow out coop and run which is adjacent to the big girl coop and run. They watched each other through the wire for a few weeks. Last weekend we opened the divider between the runs. the big girls were in competition for the food, but I had plenty of feeding stations (including 2 hidden in the grow out coop and run). A few pecks here and there, but nothing major.

I have chicks in the brooder. In about 4 weeks they will be ready to move to the grow out coop and run.

Last night, instead of going to the grow out coop, the younger ones tried to sleep on the roosting area out in the run. A coon could reach through the wire at that higher height, so I moved them back into the little coop. Tonight, 1 red star moved into the big coop. She is the only younger one to do so. I had to move the rest inside the little coop again tonight.

If I have to keep moving the others inside at night, which coop should I be putting them in? Will they slowly transition to all sleeping in the big coop on their own?

I'm afraid that if I put all the little ones in the big coop there'll be bloody murder in the morning before I let them out. If they will all eventually transition, will they get it done by the time the littler ones are ready? Am I being a worry wart or is this a genuine concern?

By then they'll be bigger and if I only have a few stragglers, I plan on moving them in. I really won't have any other choice. . But I'm hoping they'll move on their own. I have heard that some flocks automatically separate and never sleep together. This isn't an option here. So since I'm moving them every night anyway, how long should I give them before training them to sleep in the big coop if they won't go on their own? The full 4 weeks or what? I feel I'm making them take a developmental step backwards by moving them back in the little coop if they're ready to sleep on a higher roost. I'm hoping they follow the brave one's lead...

Does anyone have comments, suggestions, advice, or encouragement?

 

[Ridgerunner]

That is an interesting question. I go through the same thing. I usually wait until they are twelve weeks or so before I move them in the big coop, but you don't have that much time. Mine seldom make the move on their own, but once I move them, they usually take to it pretty quickly. It helps that I block off their grow-out coop. Sometimes all it takes is blocking off their grow-out coop, but I usually have to physically move them once or twice. They stack up at the entrance to the grow-out coop.

I think a lot of it depends on how big your main coop is. If they are shoe-horned in there, you have more of a potential problem than if they have lots of space. Extra roost space and places to hide are also important. I messed up and made my nests too close to the floor, but that gives the young chicks a great place to hide from the adults.

A broody will often wean her chicks at 4 to 5 weeks old and those chicks sleep in the main coop on their own. If a broody can do it, you can integrate chicks as young as you are doing. But the younger they are and the more difference in size, the bigger the risk.

My brooder raised chicks usually don't start to roost at night until they are around 10 weeks old, though I have had some roost at 5 weeks. They are all different. Usually, they sleep in a group on the floor until they are ready to roost. I find my adults are most vicious to younger birds when on the roost when settling in for the night. I provide lots of space so other times the young ones can keep a separation from the adults. I even provide a separate roosting area for the young ones where they can get away from the older chickens if they want to. I've had some broody-raised chicks leave the roosts and sleep on top of the nest boxes because the older ones were so vicious on the roosts. Usually, in the morning I find the adults on the floor and the young ones on the roosts, staying out of the way of the adults.

I'd suggest leaving them in the grow-out coop for a couple more weeks. Let them get used to roaming together, though they really won't hang together. Then when you move them to the big coop, make sure you open it up pretty early in the morning so the young ones can get away from the older, at least until you are confident they will be OK. For me, that is usually less than a week.

Good luck. It sounds like you are on the way.

 

[Nicole01]

I use a wire dog kennel inside the coop. This is my second integration in a one year time.lol

I put the babies in the coop as soon as they are feathered. I let them out in the morning as they are all free to stay in my yard(4 acres). The young ones were put up on the roost last week. I wait to put them on the roost once their voice changes. I forgot they sound like geese at first. I have full control over the coop lighting. Our coop has no windows. I have to keep a light on or open the door for lighting. All 12 square ft of ventilation goes into the garage, which on the most humid days it's dry as a bone.

Eventually they will all somewhat get along. Unfortunately my oldest EE is somewhat a brat when it comes to the nesting area. If she needs to lay an egg, no other hen can lay using the other boxes. It's the strangest behavior. She's not very keen with newcomers either, but she is lovely to us humans. My EE has a crush in my husband and will stay by his side when she sees him out there and if he bends over, she jumps on his head or back.

Anyways, the wire kennel is fabulous. I'm buying a smaller one to free up some space. I have an XL size and I want to downsize to a L or M wire kennel with the two sided doors. They are very cheap at our fleet farm store and great quality. My 13-14 week olds still run away. They fight with each other, but can not stand up against the adults. They are nearly the same size, but they are very gentle breeds/birds.

I have a broody sitting on 7 eggs. I'm keeping 1 or 2 if the green egged are female and pea combed if they hatch. My chicken math stinks and I think I may have gone overboard.LOL. We free range morning to night during the summer. We cover the run in plastic in the winter, so they utilize all the coop and run space during the snowy months.

Our roosts are different then most. We use 14" shelves lined with linoleum. In the winter the heater fits perfect underneath the roost and they pile up.

The roost is actually lined up together higher up. I do lift the heavy breeds down, so they don't hurt their feet. The dog kennel fits great under the roosts.

 

[off-grid hen]

That is an interesting question. I go through the same thing. I usually wait until they are twelve weeks or so before I move them in the big coop, but you don't have that much time. Mine seldom make the move on their own, but once I move them, they usually take to it pretty quickly. It helps that I block off their grow-out coop. Sometimes all it takes is blocking off their grow-out coop, but I usually have to physically move them once or twice. They stack up at the entrance to the grow-out coop.
I think a lot of it depends on how big your main coop is. If they are shoe-horned in there, you have more of a potential problem than if they have lots of space. Extra roost space and places to hide are also important. I messed up and made my nests too close to the floor, but that gives the young chicks a great place to hide from the adults.
A broody will often wean her chicks at 4 to 5 weeks old and those chicks sleep in the main coop on their own. If a broody can do it, you can integrate chicks as young as you are doing. But the younger they are and the more difference in size, the bigger the risk.
My brooder raised chicks usually don't start to roost at night until they are around 10 weeks old, though I have had some roost at 5 weeks. They are all different. Usually, they sleep in a group on the floor until they are ready to roost. I find my adults are most vicious to younger birds when on the roost when settling in for the night. I provide lots of space so other times the young ones can keep a separation from the adults. I even provide a separate roosting area for the young ones where they can get away from the older chickens if they want to. I've had some broody-raised chicks leave the roosts and sleep on top of the nest boxes because the older ones were so vicious on the roosts. Usually, in the morning I find the adults on the floor and the young ones on the roosts, staying out of the way of the adults.
I'd suggest leaving them in the grow-out coop for a couple more weeks. Let them get used to roaming together, though they really won't hang together. Then when you move them to the big coop, make sure you open it up pretty early in the morning so the young ones can get away from the older, at least until you are confident they will be OK. For me, that is usually less than a week.
Good luck. It sounds like you are on the way.

They are just under 10 weeks old now. So I have some time to let things work on their own. I am a former psych major with an interest in conditioning. I guess that's why I had the concern with reinforcing the little coop vs. the big coop, but not wanting to force it either. Lol. I'll give it some time to see what happens. They are roosting but still cheeping.

My coop is 8 x 16. My run is 10 x 30. 11 big girls and 9 small ones. This doesn't count the grow out area, which won't be available once I shut the door when I put the chicks out. But They are now NOT wanting to sleep in the grow out coop, but in the main run On a perching area, so i could close the divider door. The outside place they like to roost Is higher than the area with the smaller gauge wire. So it is not safe. When I was moving them in for the night, i noticed one girl had her head sticking outside the wire last night. ( i have hardware cloth on bottom half and 2x4 wire on top and cover. ) Easy picking. :/ Maybe if take that roost out, they will roost in the big coop. ?

Thanks for your response!

 

[off-grid hen]

I use a wire dog kennel inside the coop. This is my second integration in a one year time.lol
I put the babies in the coop as soon as they are feathered. I let them out in the morning as they are all free to stay in my yard(4 acres). The young ones were put up on the roost last week. I wait to put them on the roost once their voice changes. I forgot they sound like geese at first. I have full control over the coop lighting. Our coop has no windows. I have to keep a light on or open the door for lighting. All 12 square ft of ventilation goes into the garage, which on the most humid days it's dry as a bone.
Eventually they will all somewhat get along. Unfortunately my oldest EE is somewhat a brat when it comes to the nesting area. If she needs to lay an egg, no other hen can lay using the other boxes. It's the strangest behavior. She's not very keen with newcomers either, but she is lovely to us humans. My EE has a crush in my husband and will stay by his side when she sees him out there and if he bends over, she jumps on his head or back.
Anyways, the wire kennel is fabulous. I'm buying a smaller one to free up some space. I have an XL size and I want to downsize to a L or M wire kennel with the two sided doors. They are very cheap at our fleet farm store and great quality. My 13-14 week olds still run away. They fight with each other, but can not stand up against the adults. They are nearly the same size, but they are very gentle breeds/birds.
I have a broody sitting on 7 eggs. I'm keeping 1 or 2 if the green egged are female and pea combed if they hatch. My chicken math stinks and I think I may have gone overboard.LOL. We free range morning to night during the summer. We cover the run in plastic in the winter, so they utilize all the coop and run space during the snowy months.
Our roosts are different then most. We use 14" shelves lined with linoleum. In the winter the heater fits perfect underneath the roost and they pile up.

The roost is actually lined up together higher up. I do lift the heavy breeds down, so they don't hurt their feet. The dog kennel fits great under the roosts.

Thanks for the ideafor sectioning off something inside. I have a dropping board under one of the roosts that runs the width of the coop (8 ft) which is a perfect area to section off if i have to force the young ones in the big coop after a few weeks, or if things get nasty.

 

[teach1rusl]

This does NOT address your question, because you've been given some great suggestions, both of which I've done in the past with success.
But if you have some scrap HW cloth around, and your run is covered, you can simply cut a 2x2ft (or whatever size) section and zip tie the "patch" beside your run roost/perch over the larger wire in any areas where a night time reach-in is possible (including overhead). A few of my big girls started wanting to stay outside recently, I suppose because it was a bit cooler. After spending a week shoving their big butts inside each evening, I shored up the run this way. It's not as safe as them being inside at night, but I feel pretty good about it...

 

[off-grid hen]

I had considered this, but we do have weasels and pine martens here, so I wouldn't feel safe doing that. I thought aboutnthe temperature too, and I know it's cool enough in both coops. it's been getting down to 45 at night and it's been breezy and mid 70's during the day.

 

[Nicole01]

Duh, I answered your post twice. Sorry.

We just added hardware cloth over our welded wire! We are super happy with the results. We have weasels too!

Up close

We now can leave the coop door open at night, which really helps. The hardware cloth for some reason was cheaper then the welded wire. Maybe hubby got it on sale??? Who knows. We have a bit leftover too.

We free range during the day, here's our access door.

Our run before the improvements, I was not happy with the way this was set up and minimal shading.

It costs us a bit for the improvements, but well worth it! We did it in smaller steps, so we could afford it.

 

[off-grid hen]

Ha! I usually get no replies to my posts anyway, so two replies is great! . My run is 10ft by 30 ft, and covered. So I really don't want to do the hardware cloth over the whole thing.

If. Had to do it all over again, I'd have done the whole thing I hardware cloth. If nothing else, to keep the dang chipmunks and squirrels out. :/. Maybe I'll renovate sometime next year or so.

 

[Nicole01]

My run is a bit smaller. 22x5x5. I cover the run in plastic for winter space. By adding the hardware cloth, I'm hoping they'll sleep outside at night. I need to add roosts inside the run.

It was costly though. :/