Question about splitting my flock and integrating new chickens.

[linsybird]

Okay, this is a little confusing, but I’ll try to explain it the best I can.

In my first coop, I have one rooster, 9 hens/pullets, and two ducks.

I have 10 feathered out chicks that are 7/8 weeks old in an outdoor “brooder”. 6 of those are meat birds and will be processed next weekend, and 1 is a cockerel that I will be getting rid of.

I also have 7 chicks in my indoor brooder with ages ranging from 3-5 weeks old.

this weekend I will be finishing my second coop, and moving my outdoor chicks in there. This is where it gets confusing. My end goal, when all my chickens are grown, is to have similar breeds together.

For example, in Coop A I have three bantams. Ideally, I would have them in the same coop as the four bantam chicks I have inside. I’d like my dominiques (one grown, one chick) to end up in the same coop, the same with my Turkens, and so on.

That means that some of my pullets in Coop A need to move to Coop B, some of my outdoor chicks need to go to Coop B and one needs to go to Coop A. Some of my indoor chicks would need to go to Coop A, and some to Coop B.

So I’m trying to figure out the best way to do that. Should I integrate the younger groups first, and once they are integrated split everyone up? How long should I wait before mixing all of them together?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I would integrate and then split

 

[linsybird]

I would integrate and then split

Thank you! That’s what I was leaning towards

 

[Mrs. K]

I would be leary of the ONE bird going to coop A.

A lot depends what it looks like in your runs and coops and the space you have. Also, are the runs next to each other?

 

[Alaskan]

If you wait for the chicks to be at least halfway grown, and mix everyone upon the same day.... so a bunch of moving around...


Then usually the result is very little bullying because everyone is confused.

But moving only 1 into an established flock, yes, is bad.

 

[linsybird]

I would be leary of the ONE bird going to coop A.

A lot depends what it looks like in your runs and coops and the space you have. Also, are the runs next to each other?

Yeah, I would never put the one in with the others alone, especially since he’s so much younger than them.
Right now Coop A’s run is directly to the left of my back yard. Coop B’s Is to the right/back corner. Both runs share a fence with my back yard. I let the outdoor brooder chicks have free run of the backyard, because that’s where the brooder is. So the outdoor chicks and Coop A chickens have been looking at each other through a fence for about a month.

 

[linsybird]

If you wait for the chicks to be at least halfway grown, and mix everyone upon the same day.... so a bunch of moving around...


Then usually the result is very little bullying because everyone is confused.

But moving only 1 into an established flock, yes, is bad.

So let all the chick get older and then switch everyone at once? Once I get my outdoor chicks into the coop, I’ll move the indoor chicks outside to the brooder there. So I do have enough room for everyone to stay separate for a while.

I think I worded my post bad. I wouldn’t add just one to the flock, they would tear the little guy apart!

 

[Mrs. K]

I agree, make it most confusing. In my run, I have a lot of clutter, hideouts, shelters, mini walls, roosts, sawhorses, platforms. Before I add birds, I give everything a good clean out, and add fresh bedding and rearrange the furniture. Seems to help. I also lock out the original birds into the yard, and lock in the new birds for a day. This lets them explore a bit without being chased. Let the originals back in near dark.

It is a lot of messing around, but you could also put everyone in coop A, in Coop B and vice versa for a couple of days, then flip them back with the newbies, discombobulate really can help.

Mrs K

 

[Alaskan]

discombobulate really can help.

So true!!