Newbie Integration Question

[MysticUniKitty]

So i have an 8 x12 shed that I'm turning into a coop. Currently I have the side with the outlet fenced off for my week old mixed flock babies. I have then in the middle a coop run extension turned into a brooder with 3 one month old marans and 1 black sexlink pullets. I just got offered a light brahma rooster and pullet with also a splash Cochin Roo as well, they are all 9 months old though. I'm wanting to integrate these guys properly but I can't find anything about how to integrate older with younger.

Any tips on how to fence off coop or just let the new ones have the coop main part and keep all the littles in their separate brooding areas? Or do you think the one month olds will settle in ok with the older ones?

Picture of older chicks brooder.
Younger chicks fenced area.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Integrating so many different ages will be difficult. They will go after each other. You are also adding too many roosters. Are you planning on keeping those separately? Also when you bring in birds from multiple sources, especially older ones you run the risk of introducing diseases, so hopefully you are aware of that.

Does your kitty leave the chicks alone? I'm curious as this is the first year I will have a kitty around my young chicks.

 

[MysticUniKitty]

Integrating so many different ages will be difficult. They will go after each other. You are also adding too many roosters. Are you planning on keeping those separately? Also when you bring in birds from multiple sources, especially older ones you run the risk of introducing diseases, so hopefully you are aware of that.

Does your kitty leave the chicks alone? I'm curious as this is the first year I will have a kitty around my young chicks.

I guess I didn't realize two roosters would be bad? My neighbors have two so i thought it'd be ok for my flock as well.

Yeah I had wanted the first and second batch to be closer in ages but it didn't work out that way.

The kitty only was only allowed access while we were in there working, once it's in full use shed will be out of service to her. For the mist part she leaves them alone as babies I'd never leave her unsupervised with them. But again my neighbor has chickens and she's never messed with them

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sometimes a rooster is gentle and can be okay with just a few hens. Many roosters will mate repeatedly which can become too much on just a few hens. It's recommended to have 10-15 hens per rooster. Of course oftentimes a rooster will just mate the easy hens, so you can still have a problem. You can wait and see how it goes.

Young roosters sometimes can make troubles harassing pullets and being a general nuisance.

Another problem with 2 roosters is they can many times fight. When there's more than 2 the aggression will get spread out more. Confined roosters may fight to the death as the loser can't get away.

I would plan to house all the birds separately for a bit where they all can see each other separated by fences.

You can after a while try letting groups mingle under supervision to see how it goes. Keep up daily supervised mingling until you feel comfortable leaving them unsupervised for a while.

I still generally separate groups at night for a bit longer until I feel comfortable leaving everyone be.

Having places where birds can escape over, or under can help the process.

 

[MysticUniKitty]

Sometimes a rooster is gentle and can be okay with just a few hens. Many roosters will mate repeatedly which can become too much on just a few hens. It's recommended to have 10-15 hens per rooster. Of course oftentimes a rooster will just mate the easy hens, so you can still have a problem. You can wait and see how it goes.

Young roosters sometimes can make troubles harassing pullets and being a general nuisance.

Another problem with 2 roosters is they can many times fight. When there's more than 2 the aggression will get spread out more. Confined roosters may fight to the death as the loser can't get away.

I would plan to house all the birds separately for a bit where they all can see each other separated by fences.

You can after a while try letting groups mingle under supervision to see how it goes. Keep up daily supervised mingling until you feel comfortable leaving them unsupervised for a while.

I still generally separate groups at night for a bit longer until I feel comfortable leaving everyone be.

Having places where birds can escape over, or under can help the process.

Ok cool! These guys will take my numbers up to 23 total. But most are babies. I do have five acres and i have horse stalls too so if i needed to keep them separate separate then i could throw some netting over the hay area and have the 8 x 15 stall to themselves?

 

[Mrs. K]

Roosters are a bit tricky, and if I read correctly you do not have any full grown hens at this time. I would pass on both roosters and wait until you have pullets laying before adding a rooster. Roosters are easy to find and easy to get, so if you wait now, you willl not have any trouble finding a rooster later on.

Get this batch up and laying, then add birds to it. You would only get one laying bird at this time by taking this trio. Not worth the stress and possible death to some of those younger birds.

My advice is to pass on these for now.

 

[MysticUniKitty]

Roosters are a bit tricky, and if I read correctly you do not have any full grown hens at this time. I would pass on both roosters and wait until you have pullets laying before adding a rooster. Roosters are easy to find and easy to get, so if you wait now, you willl not have any trouble finding a rooster later on.

Get this batch up and laying, then add birds to it. You would only get one laying bird at this time by taking this trio. Not worth the stress and possible death to some of those younger birds.

My advice is to pass on these for now.

Oh dear ok

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Ok cool! These guys will take my numbers up to 23 total. But most are babies. I do have five acres and i have horse stalls too so if i needed to keep them separate separate then i could throw some netting over the hay area and have the 8 x 15 stall to themselves?

You certainly could. I have kept roosters in a separate pen.