multiple incorporation issues / one injured and healing

[lisahl]

Hello, I am currently dealing with a multi level operation of incorporating pullets. Any feedback is appreciated, especially for the injured one.

4 pullets were introduced to flock a week ago. On day 3, one was in the process of being scalped and is now hospitalized in our living room.She is coming along nicely with her healing but is becoming sort of a housepet and not wanting to graduate from the wooden box to a cage. We may have done no favors by allowing her to have free rein (wandering and sometimes sitting with us on couch....I know....) Working on that step first.

2 eight week pullets are in the garage, waiting to be incorporated into the flock outside.

Flock outside includes 3 layers and 3 of the 4 pullets who were initially introduced. (injured pullet was part of that group). The attacker /scalper has been rehomed with a neighbor.

I would like to first incorporate the injured pullet with the ones in the garage but she may take another 3-4 weeks of healing.
Should I wait long enough to hopefully introduce these 3 as a group to the outside flock?

I want to do this better this time around. I had relied on our past experiences which were so easy. I've read some of your great ideas to add a pallet that the younger ones can run under, adding clutter, separate feeding stations. I also plan to place the new ones in a cage for a few days inside the run at first.

ANY feedback on the issues above is greatly appreciated. I do NOT want another hospitalized chicken, sigh.. Especially any tips on getting the injured chicken back to leading a normal chicken life..

Thank you in advance!
Lisa

 

[azygous]

Here's a little information that might help you to make an integration plan. You need to be aware of chicken psychology and how they react to new chickens.

I've learned over the long haul that integrating new chicks into an existing flock is far, far easier if you brood babies right in the run in a protected enclosure that makes the chicks visible to the adult chickens. Since chickens are not threatened by tiny chicks, they quickly accept them as members of the flock. However, they still need to be given protection until the chicks grow aware of the danger adult chickens pose or else tragic accidents can occur.

You'll find some ideas in this old thread. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...and-start-raising-your-chicks-outdoors.71995/

Older chicks can be integrated by using a safe enclosure until everyone has gotten acquainted.

 

[lisahl]

Thank you, I’ll certainly refer to this in the future for younger chicks. Makes a lot of sense

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Hello, I am currently dealing with a multi level operation of incorporating pullets. Any feedback is appreciated, especially for the injured one.

4 pullets were introduced to flock a week ago. On day 3, one was in the process of being scalped and is now hospitalized in our living room.She is coming along nicely with her healing but is becoming sort of a housepet and not wanting to graduate from the wooden box to a cage. We may have done no favors by allowing her to have free rein (wandering and sometimes sitting with us on couch....I know....) Working on that step first.

2 eight week pullets are in the garage, waiting to be incorporated into the flock outside.

Flock outside includes 3 layers and 3 of the 4 pullets who were initially introduced. (injured pullet was part of that group). The attacker /scalper has been rehomed with a neighbor.

I would like to first incorporate the injured pullet with the ones in the garage but she may take another 3-4 weeks of healing.
Should I wait long enough to hopefully introduce these 3 as a group to the outside flock?

I want to do this better this time around. I had relied on our past experiences which were so easy. I've read some of your great ideas to add a pallet that the younger ones can run under, adding clutter, separate feeding stations. I also plan to place the new ones in a cage for a few days inside the run at first.

ANY feedback on the issues above is greatly appreciated. I do NOT want another hospitalized chicken, sigh.. Especially any tips on getting the injured chicken back to leading a normal chicken life..

Thank you in advance!
Lisa

Do your older ones sometimes go out of the run? (free range, yard range, etc.) If so, let the littles have free range of the run while the bigs are out.

If the bigs stay in the run, partition it into two spaces. Maybe let the littles stay in the smaller area at first and the bigs in the larger, then switch. Set out food along both sides of the fence for each group to eat.

And now I step aside for the pros to speak of when and how to combine them.

 

[lisahl]

Hello, the 3 oldest in the run are allowed to range for periods of time, which has allowed the 3 younger ones some time. I have been waiting for the 3 youngers already in the coop to get a little more acclimated before letting them range. those 3 are still a little terrified, especially given what happened to their cohort. Great idea of partitioning part of the run. I may have to experiment with adding the two garage chicks that way.