need help asap please introducing birds

[mamabyrd2014]

RECENT TURN OF EVENTS. UPDATE AT BOTTOM OF THREAD.



I have five 10 week old chicks. A variety of breeds. Theyve been outside in a makeshift coop from a dog house and a large dog cage. However to protect them from predators I have it all enclosed in chicken wire making it impossible to clean! I'm worried about the conditions because we just had a huge rain storm & more expected tomorrow. My question is when can I safely put them into my main chicken coop with my 2 older layers? They've been living side by side for a month at least. I need help. I feel like a bad chicken mama.

 

[Mrs. K]

If you have a good amount of space in the older flocks coop, I think I would try it, but I would try this first.

I think I would switch places with them. Let the little ones spend a day in the coop without the older hens. Make sure there are some hide outs, places where a smaller bird can get around or through without an older bird catching them. Stomp around in there so that the little ones find the escapes. Let them stay all night in the new coop, and then let them all together.

Another idea is a one way gate. If they are currently side by side, perhaps you can rig a gate between the two pens so that the small birds can go both ways, and the older birds are too big to get through.

add a couple of waterers and feed stations, and while the young ones may get some pretty hard pecks, as long as they can escape and not get trapped, they should work it out pretty quickly.

Mrs K

 

[mamabyrd2014]

Thank you for your advice. I have another question also. The chicks are eating different food than the older hens. How do people put them together when everything I'm reading says the chicks can't eat the same feed til 18 weeks? :/

 

[Mrs. K]

Feed all the birds chick feed and then add a bowl of oyster shell. The older birds will eat it to meet their needs and the younger birds will leave it alone

 

[azygous]

Or you can feed everyone all flock feed with oyster shell on the side. Layer feed isn't necessary as long as you supply the oyster shell for calcium.

 

[aart]

I think I would switch places with them. Let the little ones spend a day in the coop without the older hens. Make sure there are some hide outs, places where a smaller bird can get around or through without an older bird catching them. Stomp around in there so that the little ones find the escapes. Let them stay all night in the new coop, and then let them all together.

Mrs K

This is a great idea for this situation!

Quote:
Is that the main coop in the top middle of the pic?
Main run to the right?

Coop is pretty small for 7 birds...might want to tarp the main run for more room in bad weather until they get along.

 

[mamabyrd2014]

Is that the main coop in the top middle of the pic?
Main run to the right?

Coop is pretty small for 7 birds...might want to tarp the main run for more room in bad weather until they get along.

Yes that in back us the main coop. It is about 4.5-5ft long by 3.5 ft wide with 6 nesting boxes and two roosts.

 

[aart]

Quote: Yep, too small...might work out, but will be tight quarters. Time will tell.
Your new birds are probably going to try to sleep in the nests because the older birds might not let them on the roosts.
Tho there might be an advantage in adding 5 birds to 2 birds.

What do you do about the large windows in the winter?
(that chicken wire is not predator proof BTW)
With tight quarters you need to be concerned with adequate ventilation in the winter.

Sorry, you didn't ask about these things, but I can't help but point them out as it might save you some grief down the road.

 

[TalkALittle]

I'd put the 5 younger birds in the big coop and put the 2 older layers in the temporary coop for a couple of days. It'll give the smaller ones a chance to get comfortable with the space and used to using the roosts at night without having to worry about the bigger hens. After a couple of days add the older hens back into the big coop with the younger ones. The young ones will have the advantage of territory and numbers and the older ones will have the advantage of size. That should help balance the scales.

 

[mamabyrd2014]

I cover the windows in the winter with plastic. One window plexiglass the other a thick plastic roll. It seemed to work well with the two hens but I know more hens equal more moisture.

So far so good with the chicken wire. Its managed to keep the foxes out. I saw prints on the nesting boxes in the snow. *knock on wood* hopefully didn't just jinx myself!