Question About Integrating

[CitySilkies88]

A week ago I moved my now 8 week old RSL chicks outside to the coop/run. I put a divider up between them and my Silkies mainly to keep the chicks from eating the Layer feed until I could guy some general flock feeder.

Anyways the Silkies were pretty freaked out the first day. More afraid than anything else. The RSLs were just curious and neither group tried to attack each other through the barrier.

So I decided today that I would roll up the divider. So far so good. My most dominant RSL chick has poofed out her neck feathers a few times and flew at the Silkies. But the Silkies have no desire to fight and just scatter. Funny enough when ever I told said chick (her name is "Squeaker") to knock it off she would stop doing her "tall walk" and come to me and hop up on my lap.

It's now been 3 1/2 hours and they are getting along well. No worried clucks no aggressive behavior ect.

I am wondering though....Should I bring the divider down for the night? I am going to check on them in the evening and if all the chickens are in the coop and comfortable, I think they should be fine. But is is better safe than sorry? And I should just divide them up for the next couple of nights?

Sorry this is my first time integrating younger birds with older birds.

 

[Kikiriki]

Sorry no one answered your question...how did it go? I am on my first flock so I have no experience with this.

 

[CarolJ]

I didn't see this thread until now. I'll bet by now the two groups are integrated well. At least I hope so. I've integrated groups of chickens several times - and it usually takes two or three days for all the bickering to stop - but they work out their pecking order and everything is calm again. I've never had any of them draw blood - but they sure do peck at each other an bristle neck feathers at each other until they figure it out. Good luck.