Moving Chicks to the Coop

[k9grammy]

Well, I did it! I moved them out Saturday afternoon. Heat plate and all. I had deep shavings on about 2/3 of the floor and loose hay on the rest. I put the screen door fly cloths up and a tall x-pen across the door way. They managed to slip thru the slats on that, so I put a sheet over it. They had a ball! Scared me a couple of times by burying themselves in the deep shavings. I dropped a couple of dirt clods with grass still on and they thought that was a lot of fun.
I closed up the doors for the night and turned the heat lamp on. The shed is only about 10 feet from the house and I sleep with my window open. I have to admit I kept listening for any distress cheeping, but heard none.
Yesterday I went out with the intension of just opening up the x-pen and giving them a little of the outside yard, but it turned out to be a problem so I just took it all way and let them come out if the wanted. They wanted. so the chicken TV was on. I should have taken pictures.
I have an Australian Kelpie (herding dog) who has adopted the babies. She lays next to the shed and listens to them. One little Delaware went over to that side of the yard and stared her in the face.
Last night I went out at dusk and shut the doors and turned on the heat lamp.
This morning I went out and opened the doors, but still left the heat lamp on. They came out a short ways and have spent most of their time running in and out.
I did get their chick grit yesterday and put some out for them. They have been eating grass.
Now it's going to be hard to get anything done. I can see them from my window here over my computer and everytime I go outside to get something done I have to stop and watch them. Even put a chair out there. Good thing I'm retired!

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

he standard for putting chicks outside is 4-6 weeks

Your standard I guess, I have never had chicks indoors and have not lost any to cold.

Gary

 

[Akm78]

Nervously moved my 4 week old chicks from the pack n play in the bathroom into their insulated coop. They are my first chicks so no integration with older birds. They have a heat plate and seem fine despite us picking a cold snap (overnight 32 degrees in North Dakota end of April) to move them. 11 was too much for my bathroom...

Now hoping all will go well and wondering how and when to move the 5 nearly two week olds.

 

[aart]

Now hoping all will go well and wondering how and when to move the 5 nearly two week olds.

Were they living with the 4week olds?
If so move 'em on out.

 

[Akm78]

Were they living with the 4week olds?
If so move 'em on out.

They were not yet. I felt like the pack n play was getting snug for 11 chicks so kept them separate.

In a week or two when they are 5 and 3 weeks can I just sneak them in at night?

 

[aart]

In a week or two when they are 5 and 3 weeks can I just sneak them in at night?

Not sure 'sneaking them in' will work, but you could try...
...might want to be ready with a separate area in case things go sideways.
Even at 3 & 5 weeks territoriality may be come into play.

Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

 

[Ridgerunner]

They were not yet. I felt like the pack n play was getting snug for 11 chicks so kept them separate.

In a week or two when they are 5 and 3 weeks can I just sneak them in at night?

The problem is that you are dealing with living animals, you can never tell what will happen. I once had a 2-week-old kill a sibling, a chick that it had hatched with. That's about as integrated as you can get.

I don't brooder-raise chicks 2 weeks apart in age so I can't speak from personal experience but I have read a lot of posts on this forum. Lots of people regularly mix chicks two weeks apart without issues and without any of the steps Aart mentions. But sometimes chicks die. You just don't get guarantees one way or the other.

Your older ones should not need any supplemental heat in another week, even at freezing. Your younger ones probably will. You can certainly try to mix them directly, but do it when you can observe. Have a plan B ready in case it doesn't work.

Good luck!

 

[Akm78]

“I don't brooder-raise chicks 2 weeks apart in age so I can't speak from personal experience but I have read a lot of posts on this forum. Lots of people regularly mix chicks two weeks apart without issues and without any of the steps Aart mentions. But sometimes chicks die. You just don't get guarantees one way or the other. “

Thanks!!! Perhaps I’ll add the new guys in the pack n play brooder and heat plate in the coop once the bigger guys don’t need the heat and then gradually introduce... I had planned to try mixing them in the house as people on here describe but got allergies with them in the house got overwhelming.

 

[Akm78]

In other news they were happily out from under the heat plate pecking around being chickens when we went to check them this morning.

 

[aart]

In other news they were happily out from under the heat plate pecking around being chickens when we went to check them this morning.

Do they even all fit under there anymore?