New chicks, older hens

[luckyme3]

Hey all, I'm new to this site and would like to say hello and thank you for all the great info I have pulled from here every since I was thinking about getting chickens.
My dilemma is as follows: I have an established flock (12 hens and 1 rooster: all about 1.5 years old). I have recently added 14 new chicks to the flock. I did all the quarantining and introduction process as you have all explained. It has all gone really well.
My problem now is that the new chicks sleep outside in a huddle. They will not go in the house with the big hens. Before I got the chicks I expanded the perching area to accommodate. I have a red light on in there so they can see. Still they wont go in. I think I saw one or two run in and run back out quickly during the day. The rest don't even know it is there.
I am hoping that as they are approaching the same size as the older hens, they will join them at night.
Do I need to do more?

 

[DobieLover]

Hey all, I'm new to this site and would like to say hello and thank you for all the great info I have pulled from here every since I was thinking about getting chickens.
My dilemma is as follows: I have an established flock (12 hens and 1 rooster: all about 1.5 years old). I have recently added 14 new chicks to the flock. I did all the quarantining and introduction process as you have all explained. It has all gone really well.
My problem now is that the new chicks sleep outside in a huddle. They will not go in the house with the big hens. Before I got the chicks I expanded the perching area to accommodate. I have a red light on in there so they can see. Still they wont go in. I think I saw one or two run in and run back out quickly during the day. The rest don't even know it is there.
I am hoping that as they are approaching the same size as the older hens, they will join them at night.
Do I need to do more?

Hello and welcome to BYC!
How old are the chicks?
How large is your coop? How much roosting space do you have in the coop?
How large is your run? How much roosting space is in the run?
Pictures would be very helpful.
It takes time for the chicks to integrate into an adult flock. Young pullets generally aren't considered flock members until they start to lay. But the older ones tolerate their presence more as the days go by.

 

[Mrs. K]

Put a box in the run on its side. The chicks will seek it as a shelter and huddle up in the box at dark. Then just lift the box and put it in the coop, do this 3 nights.
On the 4th day, just leave the box in the coop. The chicks will go to the box in the coop.

Eventually remove the box from the coop.

I have heard that a white light is better than a red light... but I have never used a light.

Mrs K

 

[luckyme3]

Thanks for your responses.
My chicks were shipped to me May 21st from Hoovers Hatchery. I'm not sure how old they are when they come to me.
I have a very large all enclosed run with an added temp area that I change up all the time to give them fresh ground. I will try to post some pics cause it's hard to explain.
My coop is very large. I added lots of roosting space when I added to the flock. There are no roosts in the run, per say. They make do on a few different tunnels I put in there. I added them so the chicks could go in them to stay away from the big girls if they needed a break. They are just as likely to be on top of them instead of in them.
I did have a big breakthrough yesterday. 8 of my babies entered the coop. I tried to put as many of them on the roosts briefly so they would know they are there. Then in the evening they came back in. I closed them in with half the older chicks.
(I never close the run off at night. My chicks can come and go any time they want. That is why I built it for their safety and my convenience, so I don't have to close it at night and open it in the mornings.
So half the older chicks got stuck outside last night with half the babies. When I went out to open the run this morning everyone seamed fine except the stressed adults that got stuck outside last night.
I really like the box idea and will attempt that tonight. I have one baby in particular that concerns me. She stays to herself all the time.