Moving pullets to the coop - tips and tricks?

[Amelia_Brazent]

I've currently got three almost-eight-week old Silkies living in a temporary pen inside my house, and I have two laying Silkie hens living outside in a coop.

I'm thinking it's time to start moving the indoor trio outside, but have never introduced new chickens to an existing coop before - the current hens were my first foray into chickens, raised them from day olds. Those girls moved out at ten weeks, but that was because the coop wasn't ready for them - they were definitely ready to go out earlier!

The current indoor trio aren't as developed as the older girls were at this age, so they're still a bit on the small side (cannot work out why - raised in the same manner, but did get them from a different breeder, so maybe that's a thing?).

The indoor trio and outdoor duo have spent some time around one another on the lawn with no qualms.

That said, I'd love your tips on moving the indoor trio to the coop! Timing wise, what age or size should I be aiming for?

I'm in Australia, so it's late-summer here right now and therefore not cold.

 

[3KillerBs]

Here are some useful articles on integration:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop-brooder-and-integration.74591/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/introducing-new-chickens-using-the-“see-but-don’t-touch”-method.67839/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/adding-to-your-flock.47756/

This is the integration pen I used with one batch:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/mini-coop-or-integration-pen-from-a-large-dog-crate.76593/

And this is what I did with another batch:https://www.backyardchickens.com/posts/24979435

 

[Amelia_Brazent]

Here are some useful articles on integration:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop-brooder-and-integration.74591/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/introducing-new-chickens-using-the-“see-but-don’t-touch”-method.67839/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/adding-to-your-flock.47756/

This is the integration pen I used with one batch:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/mini-coop-or-integration-pen-from-a-large-dog-crate.76593/

And this is what I did with another batch:https://www.backyardchickens.com/posts/24979435

Thank you kindly!! Will give those a read for sure

 

[Chickens are awsome]

I have done a look no touch pen and slowly worked them in that way it seemed to work well.

 

[Lizzy733]

Silkies are pretty casual. If you've already done a bit of mingling without issues, you may not have too much trouble.

And yes, they can range in size, so judge by feathering, but at 6 weeks in summer, they should be more than happy outside during the day. I find my white silkie is much smaller overall than my blue splash.

See but don't touch is a great approach. Get them out there in an isolation pen all day round when you can't be there to watch them and bring them in at night only. Make sure they have all the necessities... - shade, shelter, food, water etc... Place them in a high-traffic area where they will be able to see and interact with your old girls constantly.

When you are there to monitor, allow them to mingle and keep an eye out for any excessively aggressive behavior.

If they 'peck' but don't 'chase', this can be a problem if they happen to corner a young one, but otherwise, not too big an issue. Chase but don't peck is less of a concern as well. Of course, peck and chase is a problematic bird.

Cluttering the run and adding new things can distract the big girls too. - just try to eliminate any dead ends and have places where they can break line of sight.

Once they seem settled together, keep an extra eye out for bullying on the roost at night. This seems to be the last hurdle with integration as they may kick the younger ones outta the coop.

Just go by their attitudes and behavior. Integration can take as little as 3 days or as long as a month and this will all depend in the personalities in your flock.

 

[Amelia_Brazent]

Silkies are pretty casual. If you've already done a bit of mingling without issues, you may not have too much trouble.

And yes, they can range in size, so judge by feathering, but at 6 weeks in summer, they should be more than happy outside during the day. I find my white silkie is much smaller overall than my blue splash.

See but don't touch is a great approach. Get them out there in an isolation pen all day round when you can't be there to watch them and bring them in at night only. Make sure they have all the necessities... - shade, shelter, food, water etc... Place them in a high-traffic area where they will be able to see and interact with your old girls constantly.

When you are there to monitor, allow them to mingle and keep an eye out for any excessively aggressive behavior.

If they 'peck' but don't 'chase', this can be a problem if they happen to corner a young one, but otherwise, not too big an issue. Chase but don't peck is less of a concern as well. Of course, peck and chase is a problematic bird.

Cluttering the run and adding new things can distract the big girls too. - just try to eliminate any dead ends and have places where they can break line of sight.

Once they seem settled together, keep an extra eye out for bullying on the roost at night. This seems to be the last hurdle with integration as they may kick the younger ones outta the coop.

Just go by their attitudes and behavior. Integration can take as little as 3 days or as long as a month and this will all depend in the personalities in your flock.

Thank you!! These are such great tips! Definitely seems the look don't touch during the day could be the way to go.

 

[Amelia_Brazent]

I have done a look no touch pen and slowly worked them in that way it seemed to work well.

Thank you!! How long did it take before you moved them in permanently?

 

[Chickens are awsome]

Thank you!! How long did it take before you moved them in permanently?

about 2 weeks

 

[Mrs. K]

One of the tricks that I have had very good luck with, is flipping them. Putting the young ones in your set up, and either letting the older ones out on the lawn or putting them where you have the chicks.

This lets the chicks explore the new place on their own terms, without being chased or harassed. They do some exploring, find the feed bowls, explore the coop. I generally just put the big girls out in the yard, I will feed along the fence. But they see the new birds in the coop/run, and the sky does not fall.

I let the old ones in as close to dark as I can, and the urge to roost is pretty strong. Sometimes I just do this a couple of days, putting the chicks in a crate in the coop at night.

I do have a lot of hideouts, and with a little fiddling - I get mine together in a matter of days. I do have a lot of clutter in my run, and I have a one way gate, something that the chicks can escape through that the older birds cannot.

Note: sometimes one of the older birds will just be a demon, and the others will follow her. If you pull her out for a few days, it generally will settle right down.

 

[DMJ1123]

Yes, I use the "see, no touch" method as well. I have some very large pet cages that I'll put in the run to put the new ones in during the day. I'll do that for 2-3 weeks. On the final day I will move each one of them to the roost at night with the others. Then I'll just keep an eye out first thing in the morning. I haven't had any issues. Just normal "establishing the pecking order" type stuff.