Pinless Peepers

[Wyorp Rock]

I placed them in the middle of the night. Many suggested this was an excellent way to integrate. Yeah, not so much. I have cameras so I watched them like a hawk and ran to them immediately once it started.

When you get ready to try again, place them in a run/housing next to the existing ones so they can see each other for a couple of weeks. This can help (sometimes) may integration go more smoothly. There is still going to be some picking/pecking/chasing and scuffles until everything is sorted out - this can take time and patience.

You want to have plenty of room, probably add an extra feed and water station and have barriers and/or some places where the younger ones can get up and out of the way of the older birds.

Look up and do some reading/research on "see-but-don't-touch" integration.
Hopefully with a few adjustments, things will get better for you.

 

[MissChick@dee]

Well based on results perhaps you could tweak the approach a little bit. Make a pen within your pen so they can see each other yet be safe. Wire off a section place food and water in it for them. It takes awhile for older birds to accept newer ones. If you got off to a rough start you can always start over.

 

[melissadennis0]

Newer to chickens but looking for suggestions. Having difficulty integrating 4 hens into existing flock. All are under 7 months of age and relatively the same size. Two hens nearly scalped two of my newbie hens today. I separated them and brought them back into their brooder and clean their wounds . Just wondering if anybody has used these peepers and would recommend them ? Are they safe? Can they still eat and drink with them?

New hens were added at night while the others were asleep. Attached are pics of our setup.

 

[melissadennis0]

When you get ready to try again, place them in a run/housing next to the existing ones so they can see each other for a couple of weeks. This can help (sometimes) may integration go more smoothly. There is still going to be some picking/pecking/chasing and scuffles until everything is sorted out - this can take time and patience.

You want to have plenty of room, probably add an extra feed and water station and have barriers and/or some places where the younger ones can get up and out of the way of the older birds.

Look up and do some reading/research on "see-but-don't-touch" integration.
Hopefully with a few adjustments, things will get better for you.

Thank you. Just told hubby he will need to enlarge the cage area and put it side by side and we will slowly work them together, hopefully

 

[melissadennis0]

Well based on results perhaps you could tweak the approach a little bit. Make a pen within your pen so they can see each other yet be safe. Wire off a section place food and water in it for them. It takes awhile for older birds to accept newer ones. If you got off to a rough start you can always start over.

Thank you. My husband is going to add more fence panels next to the existing cage area but keep the new hens separate for a few weeks and hopefully that works.

 

[MissChick@dee]

Yes, it was suggested to add them at night and many claimed this would make it a seemless transition. Didn’t work

Nope....it’s a process I kept mine separated for a month.
By the time I removed the wire separations they laid on the ground like it was a invisible line lol.
Safety first. Provide obstacles that the younger birds can use to get away once you reintroduce them. I put large tree stumps in the corners of my run so one could not get cornered and trapped. They can jump up and run using these too. You could try short periods of time while you’re right there too. Arm yourself with a spray bottle set on high. It’s a lot quicker than you could ever be. Give them time through the fence first. Don’t rush it. Best wishes

 

[Wyorp Rock]

New hens were added at night while the others were asleep. Attached are pics of our setup.

Thank you. Just told hubby he will need to enlarge the cage area and put it side by side and we will slowly work them together, hopefully

Sounds like a plan! Placing them side by side is a good idea, you can always leave that added space to give them more room. It would also come in handy if you find that you need to separate birds.
I am curious, I see a pool(?) in the chicken run, do you have ducks too?

 

[aart]

Pinless peepers are a last resort, IMO.
Man, that's a LOT of deer!
Wonders about the pool too.

Here's some tips and links that might help....

Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

This used to be a better search, new format has reduced it's efficacy, but still:
Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, BUT some info is outdated IMO:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

 

[melissadennis0]

Nope....it’s a process I kept mine separated for a month.
By the time I removed the wire separations they laid on the ground like it was a invisible line lol.
Safety first. Provide obstacles that the younger birds can use to get away once you reintroduce them. I put large tree stumps in the corners of my run so one could not get cornered and trapped. They can jump up and run using these too. You could try short periods of time while you’re right there too. Arm yourself with a spray bottle set on high. It’s a lot quicker than you could ever be. Give them time through the fence first. Don’t rush it. Best wishes

Definitely going to put up a divided of sorts and give them a few weeks to adjust. I had a lot of suggestions to try the adding them at night method but I don’t think I will ever try that again after seeing how the others reacted. Thank you for your help and suggestions.

 

[melissadennis0]

Sounds like a plan! Placing them side by side is a good idea, you can always leave that added space to give them more room. It would also come in handy if you find that you need to separate birds.
I am curious, I see a pool(?) in the chicken run, do you have ducks too?

No ducks, well in the actual two ponds behind our house yes, but not in the chickens area. This pic was from the summer so I would put a very small amount of water in it and clean it daily Incase it got too hot out so that they could cook themselves if they needed to.