Scared chickens

[Organic Gal]

I have 5 hens that are alittle over a year old. They are afraid of anything new that is put in the coop, run or in their free range area such as a tree limb to be used as a roosting bar, a piece of fence or a new feed bowl thats different then the others. I built a 2X6 ft enclosure within the existing run so that when the time comes I can use it for the 10 new pullets I will be adding to the flock. My existing 5 hens were terrified of it and wouldn't go on that side of the run for 2 days and some of them even longer. I assume when I put the new pullets in the enclosure I made they will be terrified of them as well. What are your thoughts. The entire run is 8x24 and I only have a small section closed off for the new pullets. Since the new pullets will stay in the separate enclosure for a week(hopefully the existing hens will get use to them) what do I do with them at night? Do I bring them back in the house until its time to go in the main coop? I had planned on putting the 10 new pullets right in the coop at night so they all will wake up together. I have heard that works well. Any thoughts suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[azygous]

Chickens are frightened by anything unfamiliar brought into their coop or run, but they quickly adjust to it when they discover it won't chase them down and eat them.

This doesn't apply to other chickens, and especially baby chicks, which they will find totally unthreatening.

Do you have the new pullets yet? I suggest you think about setting up a brooder in the run or coop if it's secure. That way the chickens will get used to the new chicks from the beginning and the chicks will adjust to the adult flock as they grow. I brood in my run and wrote an article about this method. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...and-start-raising-your-chicks-outdoors.71995/

Currently, I have four pullets aged three weeks, and they have already begun to mingle with the adult flock, completely integrated already.

 

[Organic Gal]

Chickens are frightened by anything unfamiliar brought into their coop or run, but they quickly adjust to it when they discover it won't chase them down and eat them.

This doesn't apply to other chickens, and especially baby chicks, which they will find totally unthreatening.

Do you have the new pullets yet? I suggest you think about setting up a brooder in the run or coop if it's secure. That way the chickens will get used to the new chicks from the beginning and the chicks will adjust to the adult flock as they grow. I brood in my run and wrote an article about this method. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...and-start-raising-your-chicks-outdoors.71995/

Currently, I have four pullets aged three weeks, and they have already begun to mingle with the adult flock, completely integrated already.

I already have the 10 pullets which are 3 and 4 weeks old now. I had planned to put them in the enclosure I made on nice days. Its suppose to be close to 80F next week a few days but tonight its suppose to frost. Weird weather here in Maryland. What are your thoughts about when they are permanently outside but separate of putting them in the coop at night so they wake up together? Is a week of look but no touch enough time? I read your article. Very nice. I'll have to try that next time.

 

[azygous]

I've done that before, put three five-week old pullets in the coop a few hours before dark so they could get accustomed to it. Then just before dark, I let the two adult hens inside. Everyone was cool.

Giving your chicks a week to observe and be observed before putting them in the coop is best. After a few days, you might let the pullets out to mingle with the big chickens under supervision. They should do fine.

Here's a tip. Buy an animal training clicker from the pet store for $1. Use it with the chicks when you offer them treats. In a very short time, just a couple days, they will learn to come to you when you click it. This is very useful to gather up your chicks very quickly without needing to chase and catch which just gets everyone stressed. It will also help in teaching your chicks to go into the coop at night on their own. Get inside and click the clicker, and they will all come inside to you.

When I want to get my four three-week old chicks back in their brooding pen for the night, I just click the clicker and they all come running to me. They each get a meal worm as a reward, further reinforcing their training.

 

[BDutch]

I've done that before, put three five-week old pullets in the coop a few hours before dark so they could get accustomed to it. Then just before dark, I let the two adult hens inside. Everyone was cool.

Giving your chicks a week to observe and be observed before putting them in the coop is best. After a few days, you might let the pullets out to mingle with the big chickens under supervision. They should do fine.

Here's a tip. Buy an animal training clicker from the pet store for $1. Use it with the chicks when you offer them treats. In a very short time, just a couple days, they will learn to come to you when you click it. This is very useful to gather up your chicks very quickly without needing to chase and catch which just gets everyone stressed. It will also help in teaching your chicks to go into the coop at night on their own. Get inside and click the clicker, and they will all come inside to you.

When I want to get my four three-week old chicks back in their brooding pen for the night, I just click the clicker and they all come running to me. They each get a meal worm as a reward, further reinforcing their training.

I like this idea for the chicks to be (having 2 broodies). I do a similar thing with my adult birds. I don’t have a clicker, just clap my hens and call them ‘kippies’ or call the names of the missing chickens.
They always come hoping for a treat.

@Organic Gal
A seperated enclosure of this size with only a roost bar is quit minimal for 10 chicks that will grow fast imho. I would make more space and a hutch in it (rabbit cage / guinea pig hutch / litter box) where they can take a nap. And use some straw to keep them warm.
After a week you can make an opening where the chicks can go through and not the older hens. This wil be there safe place.
As soon as it stops freezing and they are 5-6 weeks old (well feathered) they can stay outside without extra warmth. If it’s safe. They can keep each other warm in such a large group.

 

[Ridgerunner]

5 hens, 10 chicks, 8' x 24' run, and a 2' x 6' enclosure. No idea how big your main coop is or what it looks like, inside or out.

How predator proof is your run? Do you plan to integrate again in the future when some of these need replacing? They don't live forever.

If I were doin this I'd fence off about 6' of the run on the end away from the main coop and have a human-sized gate between this section and the rest of the run. If the run is not predator proof I'd build a permanent predator proof shelter inside that 6' x 8' section so they have a place to sleep at night out there. If the run is predator proof that shelter doesn't have to be much, mainly a place to keep them out of the rain. You can put nests and roosts in it if you want to but you don't have to. I would roosts at least. If you need a nest just set a milk crate with bedding in there.

What I'm trying to set up is a good place to integrate the chicks with the look but don't touch while leaving them out there at night. If you want to commit to bringing ten chicks in every night and carrying them back out every morning you can, but you don't know how long this will last. It also makes a good place to isolate an injured hen or put a broody hen if you want to separate one to hatch or raise chicks away from the flock. If you build the shelter elevated with a wire bottom you have a broody buster. You can put a piece of plywood or such on the wire floor if you want a solid floor for the chicks. I find a separate place you can use like this to be really handy. To me it would be worth building, but it does cost money and take work. When you are not using it you can leave the gate open and they can use the entire run. Lock the shelter if you don't want them laying eggs in it. This would work great for Azygous's method of brooding in the run if you have electricity to it.

The way I'd integrate them would be to leave the chicks in that run section for a while, then let them mingle with the adults for a few weeks before you move them into the main coop. Let then sleep in that shelter at night until then.

Often integration goes so well you wonder what al the fuss was about. But occasionally chicks die. Sometimes you can just dump the chicks in the main coop at night or even during the day and it works out, especially if the coop is pretty big with a fair amount of clutter. It certainly can work. But it is certainly possible (and sometimes happens) that when they wake up one chicken decides to kill another. The tighter the space is the more likely this is to happen and the one being beat up cannot run away. When I move chicks into the main coop with the adults they have shown me that they can live with the adults during the day for a few weeks before I try. They don't have to eat at the same feeder at the same time or anything like that, just show that they are not out to kill each other.

For what it is worth my brooder is in the coop so the chicks grow up with the flock. I have over 3,000 square feet outside and the weather when I integrate that they can spend all day every day outside. At 5 weeks of age my chicks are roaming outside, separate from the adults by space but no fences. They avoid the adults. My broody hens raise their chicks with the flock. I've had a broody wean her chicks as young as three weeks of age and leave them alone to make their way with the flock. They do. You don't have 3,000 square feet so you have to be more careful. People do this all the time, often with no more room than you have and not being as cautious as I suggest. Often it works out, you usually don't read those stories on here. The stories you read are the ones where it doesn't work out.

Good luck.

 

[Organic Gal]

I've done that before, put three five-week old pullets in the coop a few hours before dark so they could get accustomed to it. Then just before dark, I let the two adult hens inside. Everyone was cool.

Giving your chicks a week to observe and be observed before putting them in the coop is best. After a few days, you might let the pullets out to mingle with the big chickens under supervision. They should do fine.

Here's a tip. Buy an animal training clicker from the pet store for $1. Use it with the chicks when you offer them treats. In a very short time, just a couple days, they will learn to come to you when you click it. This is very useful to gather up your chicks very quickly without needing to chase and catch which just gets everyone stressed. It will also help in teaching your chicks to go into the coop at night on their own. Get inside and click the clicker, and they will all come inside to you.

When I want to get my four three-week old chicks back in their brooding pen for the night, I just click the clicker and they all come running to me. They each get a meal worm as a reward, further reinforcing their training.

I'll have tp try that. I wasn't thinking about catching them as the first time last year with the first group I just put them in the coop and left them in there for 2 days then opened the door to the run. Much easier since I didnt have any other chickens. Question: should I keep everyone (new and older hens) locked in the run area with the new pullets a few days before letting them free range? I'm afraid my hens will have a fit if they cannot come out of the run though.

 

[azygous]

Right at this moment, I have four chicks under four weeks old and the run entrances are open so the adults can go free range and get back in if they need to use the nest boxes. The chicks show no desire to go outside of the run even with the pop door open.

It's been my experience that chicks will check out the open doors but won't venture outside until they feel secure enough to do so. When they start going out, they will hug the side of the run, staying very close in case they feel threatened and need to come back inside to safety.

Your chicks should be no different, although they're older. They will be careful to stick close when they do go out, and it will be a few weeks before they are confident enough to venture farther out from the run.

To sum it up, trust your chicks to decide when they will leave the run, and don't be afraid to leave the door open so the adult chickens can come and go.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I have 5 hens that are alittle over a year old. They are afraid of anything new that is put in the coop, run or in their free range area such as a tree limb to be used as a roosting bar, a piece of fence or a new feed bowl thats different then the others. I built a 2X6 ft enclosure within the existing run so that when the time comes I can use it for the 10 new pullets I will be adding to the flock. My existing 5 hens were terrified of it and wouldn't go on that side of the run for 2 days and some of them even longer. I assume when I put the new pullets in the enclosure I made they will be terrified of them as well. What are your thoughts. The entire run is 8x24 and I only have a small section closed off for the new pullets. Since the new pullets will stay in the separate enclosure for a week(hopefully the existing hens will get use to them) what do I do with them at night? Do I bring them back in the house until its time to go in the main coop? I had planned on putting the 10 new pullets right in the coop at night so they all will wake up together. I have heard that works well. Any thoughts suggestions would be appreciated.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/change-of-plans.1454019/

This is what I did, pretty much the same as what these good folks have been suggesting. It has worked out great with no real issues

 

[BDutch]

How old are the new pullets?