Over one week into integration..

[aart]

I tried it once a while back and decided that wasn't good. So it's been about a week. It's not all the time, which could be an issue, but I'm not leaving them together alone without me being here

It could indeed be......every time you separate then reunite it's almost like starting over.

Right now the barred rock walks by there and does not attempt to go in? She did once, but hasn't tried again. Why?

She's made her point and doesn't need to continuously harass, doesn't mean she's totally over reigning her power when she feels like it. When the subordinates can get away from the dominants the doms should back off. I see it every day here with 12 week olds that have been in with flock since 4 weeks old. It'll be that way until the youngers are laying.

 

[llombardo]

So now I switched them. The bigger ones are not happy.they are pacing like lions and making some weird not friendly noises.

 

[llombardo]

And what do the smaller ones do? Huddle in a corner. They have the whole run and keep going back to the corner.

How do you teach a chicken confidence? That is what these girls need.

 

[llombardo]

So how do people that work integrate chickens? Just let them figure it out? Come home to a dead younger one?

 

[Mrs. K]

Ok, you are getting closer. Ignore the cranks in the small pen and leave them there. They will not hold a grudge.

Put a little treat just a little way away from where they are all huddled. And move away, do not make them go to it. This exploration has to be at their pace. You might lean something up in the corner so that they are behind it.

Basically leave them alone until they get brave enough to venture forth, that will give them confidence in this set up.

I might leave the big girls completely in that enclosure for a several days, when I did let them out, it would be a bit before dark, everything should shortly go to roost, and I think you will be good.

Do put up the mini walls ASAP, so they figure it out.

 

[EquiSally]

So how do people that work integrate chickens? Just let them figure it out? Come home to a dead younger one?

I do the look but no touch for two to three weeks, then let them out together during the late afternoon/evening when I’m home from work.

If they immediately fight, they get put back up. If it’s major/minor off and on bickering, I step in and stop the fight. They get put back in their look but no touch pen when I’m gone.

We do this every other evening for about a week or so, then I leave them out .

They generally start developing a pecking order. They tend to hang out in separate groups for another week but one day I look out and they are magically all hanging out.

 

[Mrs. K]

often times it does not go this hard. Sometimes, like this is a wreck.

 

[nminusyplusm]

How do I create safe hiding spots?

I made a simple hiding spot box that has really helped with my bully problem. You can make one out of cardboard too. That's what my initial mock up was before I built it out of ply:

 

[llombardo]

Ok I grabbed the three available things to make the hiding spots. I put these things in the three hot spots.They finally moved to another spot--only because I was messing with the sandbox cover in their corner.

 

[Mrs. K]

Much better!

I love the box idea too!