Several day look but no touch flocks

[woodenfarm]

Our two flocks have been able to look but no touch for almost a week.
How long do you usually wait to remove the wire that is seperating them?

 

[Pork Pie]

There’s no real set time. I see no reason not to try now, but ensure that you are around to intervene and separate again, if needs be. Lots of space, multiple feeders and objects to break up lines of sight will help a little.

 

[snow5164]

Are they all the same age? Of one is younger make sure they have an escape , a small door or something to go under that the big ones can’t

 

[aart]

Our two flocks have been able to look but no touch for almost a week.
How long do you usually wait to remove the wire that is seperating them?

2-3 weeks.
Depends on the birds numbers, ages, and coop/run size.
That info, and pics of your set up, would help garner viable suggestions.

Here's general some tips on....
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.

 

[Mrs. K]

Often times when you separate birds, one set is in a different coop. I think it is helpful, to let the new birds explore and be in the final setup without the original flock. This allows the birds to explore and figure the hide outs out, without being chased. So before you do a finale takedown, flip the birds into the other set up for a day or too. I think it helps too for the original birds to see the new birds in their territory.

Course, this depends on your set up. After you mix them, there may be one or two birds of the original flock, that are just too mean, put them in the separated part for a couple of days.

Good luck.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Look but don't touch is one tool that a lot of people use to help with integration. There area lot of other tools/tricks we sometimes use to try to make integration go smoothly. Which tools you need to use depends on a lot of things: the ages of the chickens being integrated, how much room they have in the coop/run, the quality of the room in the coop/run, your management techniques, and the personalities of the individual chickens. Even your expectations of what a successful integration looks like can affect what you do.

The idea behind the "look but don't touch" is that some (not all but some) chickens can be territorial. They go out of their way to protect their turf from strange chickens. Sometimes this is not an issue at all. But if you house them side by side long enough for them to accept that the new ones have a right to exist, you take this element out of the equation. They will still have pecking order/flock dominance issues to work out so you can still see violence so look but don't touch does not solve all integration issues. Still, it can make integration a lot easier. I think it is worth doing for practically everyone.

Just like practically everything else to do with chickens I don't think there is a hard and fast number for how long. Sometimes it is not even necessary. Sometimes no matter how long you house them side by side you will see violence when you put them together. It's been a week. My suggestion is the same as Ken's. When you can be around to observe try it. See what happens. If it works, fine. If it doesn't get back with us on what happened with information on ages, sex of the two groups (any males), room in feet, and your set-up. Maybe we can suggest other things you can try in your unique circumstances to help.

Good luck!