My integration experiment!!!!!!!!

[cec330]

My main flock is 6 hens 13 weeks old 2 buff Orpingtons and 4 speckeled sussex all of them are pretty laid back. I bought 4 golden comets fellow said they where 12 weeks old but I'm leaning more tword 9-10 weeks old. Brought 4 new girls home this past Thursday 6-9-16. I locked them in the run put a good thick layer of fresh straw and food and water in one corner they slept there over night. The main flock noticed them, watched them for few mins then went and roamed the 2 acre yard like always. At bedtime I put main flock into coop they slept all night and at 6am Friday they was already awake out roaming yard like always. The new girls was locked in run all day. When I got home from work Friday I let the new 4 out in yard to roam also. Friday night I Locked new flock in the run, and put main flock in coop, they slept separate again Friday night. Saturday morning main flock was out roaming at 6am so I opened the run door and let new one out to roam. They came out of the run but never walked no more than 5 foot from the coop but did explore all the way around the coop. Main flocked noticed them, and one of the Sussex did challenge and chase the new ones around a few time through out the day nothing to violent. So Saturday night I locked new ones in run put main flock into coop once they where settled I opened coop door so new ones could get into the coop. Two of the new one went up the ramp and roosted right along with the main flock and slept there all night no problems, today all hens where free range allday long main flock roamed whole yard like always new girls just stayed right around coop exploring a little farther than yesterday, tonight all 10 girls went to bed pretty much at sametime and all 10 went into coop by themselves and are all sleeping as of now!

I'll updat this every couple days for those who mite be interested any tips or advice would be greatly appericated thank you

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sounds like it's working pretty good. They are still young enough not to get too territorial yet. Hopefully it stays peaceful.

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!
Interesting stuff, thanks for sharing the story.

Curious, how long have you had the 'main' flock?
The free ranging can really help with integration.
How big is the coop(feet by feet)?
Where are you keeping feed/water...more than one feed/water station?

 

[cec330]

Welcome to BYC!
Interesting stuff, thanks for sharing the story.

Curious, how long have you had the 'main' flock?
The free ranging can really help with integration.
How big is the coop(feet by feet)?
Where are you keeping feed/water...more than one feed/water station?

I got the main flock as 1 week old chicks they were born March 3rd, there coop is 8 foot long by 3 foot wide by 3 foot tall, realitivily small for all 10 hens I'm going to either add on to existing coop or just build all new one. I have a stream that runs through the yard for them to drink from but I keep a 1 gallon water station and a 10lb feeding station in the run and a 1 quart feeder and 1quart waterer inside the coop. Right now all hens are eating cicadas that fall from trees and aren't eating much food I put out for them.

 

[cec330]

Tomorrow will be a week since I introduced the new chickens. The new ones are venturing further and further from the coop but older ones still won't let them into their flock. It's weird that they all sleep together 2 of the new ones even get up the same roosting stick as the older ones and the older hens pay no attention but if new hens get to close while their out in the yard the boss hen chases them off but all and all I'm happy with the results so far.