new run, new order?

[carolinasculpture]

OK, I am wondering about trying a twist on the old introduction/merge of flocks strategy. We are building a bigger run so I was wondering how it might work if I put the younger birds in the new run first and then added the older flock. So that way the older birds would not be protecting "their" turf? Is it worth a try or should I just go with the "add the younger at night" method? Right now we are pretty close to having the new run complete, but the young birds are still really too young to incorporate, unless you think the old birds might just assume that the new run comes with some young birds. Any thoughts? THANKS!

 

[chicmom]

I think you've got a great idea. In my opinion, it's never good to add newbies at night.

Here's what I would do: Allow the younger flock to have the new run for about a week, and then add the older ones. If you can, wait until they are all pretty close in size to merge them together.

If you can allow your chickens to free range together first, that's always a good way for them to get acquainted.

Good luck!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I think it is a pretty good strategy. I'm not sure how much it is protecting turf versus the chickens don't like change and they are more nervous in a strange place, so they are likely to be less aggressive. I'd still suggest having different feeding and watering stations around to help avoid points of conflict. And the more room you can provide, the better.

When you merge flocks like this, you have two separate issues, integration and pecking order. Integration is where the other chickens stop seeing the newcomers as threats to the flock and start accepting them as members of their own flock. Sometimes this integration goes so well you wonder what all the fuss and worry was about and sometimes it results in dead chickens. No two flocks are the same. I do think the more room you give them, the better your odds of it not being too stressful. If a broody raises chicks with a flock and weans them at 4 weeks old, they are already integrated with the flock but pecking order issues are not settled.

Pecking order is social rank within the flock. Mature always outranks immature, but I've seen 15 week olds that have been accepted as mature and are able to dominate grown chickens. I've also seen older chickens still be quite immature. Each chicken and each flock has its own personality.

I've never been a huge fan of the add them at night strategy. I know some people are convinced it is the way to go and it does often seem to work. Some people have disasters when they try it. It may help some on the integration side. I honestly don't know. You still have the pecking order issues. I'm just uncomfortable with the thought that these strange chickens that may have integratin issues and will have pecking order issues waking up together in a fairly tight space where the weaker cannot get away from the stronger if the stronger are really aggressive about it. I prefer them to meet where the weaker can run away. As I mentioned, sometimes this whole process goes pretty smoothly, mainly I think because of the personality of the individual chickens involved. I also think that one of the possible advantages of the add them at night strategy is that the humans are not around when the chickens wake up so many of the integration/pecking order issues are resolved before the human intervenes. But this is only with the ones that were going to be fairly peaceful to start with.

Hope this helps a bit. Good luck!

 

[carolinasculpture]

Great! Thanks for the input! The run is 50x50 and has several places to hide, and the coop door is not closed at night, but I think I will wait until the young birds are a little bigger before I give it a try. The older birds have managed in the old run for a year now, I don't think a little longer will hurt them. Any other ideas?

 

[ECBW]

I am in the process of doing just that. We are in the first week of the integration.

The young ones are about 8 to 10 weeks. The matured ones do not appear to be territorial but will peck the little ones to clear ways for themselves. This is not the domination fight and no blood and no feather loss. The little ones scurry timidly about, and I think that draws unnecessary interest from the big birds much like grasshopper. They still keep to their own flocks. I hope the division will erode slowly in days to come.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Quote:
That division will remain until the younger birds mature enough to establish their position in the pecking order. As long as the older chcikens are not following and attacking the youngre ones and the younger ones can get away, you'll do fine. The problems come in when you have an older bird that seeks out to destroy weaker ones or the weaker ones get caught in a tight place, like in a corner or against the fence, and cannot get away. Sounds like you do not have those problems. I call that success.