Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[mortie]

I have eaten so many mini eggs....it's not even funny.

 

[BullChick]

I have eaten so many mini eggs....it's not even funny.

You were saying?

 

[mortie]

Qeustion - how long after you integrate new chicks with older chickens is it before you can stop worrying about the olders hurting them? Within the next few weeks I will be integrating my chicks with my flock and 'm must curious how long I get to worry about them messing with the babies.

I've got the babies in the broody breaker right next to the run and the olders are completely ignoring them, aside from acting like they're scared of them. Maybe this won't be as bad as I thought.

 

[mortie]

You were saying?

and I"m not even talking about banty eggs.....oooh i wish.

 

[ronott1]

Qeustion - how long after you integrate new chicks with older chickens is it before you can stop worrying about the olders hurting them? Within the next few weeks I will be integrating my chicks with my flock and 'm must curious how long I get to worry about them messing with the babies.

I've got the babies in the broody breaker right next to the run and the olders are completely ignoring them, aside from acting like they're scared of them. Maybe this won't be as bad as I thought.

The first several days are very important. It take a couple of weeks for them to integrate though.

I have an 8 month old Pita Pinta pullet in with 12 Trader Joes pullets that are 14 weeks old. They have been together for a couple of weeks. This weekend I am going to move the Pita Pinta and three of the TJ's pullets out to the layer yard.

I hope it goes well!

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Qeustion - how long after you integrate new chicks with older chickens is it before you can stop worrying about the olders hurting them? Within the next few weeks I will be integrating my chicks with my flock and 'm must curious how long I get to worry about them messing with the babies.

I've got the babies in the broody breaker right next to the run and the olders are completely ignoring them, aside from acting like they're scared of them. Maybe this won't be as bad as I thought.

Mine seem to adjust in a few days. Sometimes there is more squabbling at the lower end of the pecking order. No one wants to be last, and the lowest of the older birds seem to be the ones that give the newbies a bad time. Change the coop run around when you introduce them. Hang a cabbage, get a treat block, add a new waterer or food dish, new perches or climbing structure, even just a big log will distract the flock from the newbies.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Qeustion - how long after you integrate new chicks with older chickens is it before you can stop worrying about the olders hurting them?  Within the next few weeks I will be integrating my chicks with my flock and 'm must curious how long I get to worry about them messing with the babies.

I've got the babies in the broody breaker right next to the run and the olders are completely ignoring them, aside from acting like they're scared of them.  Maybe this won't be as bad as I thought.

Agree with all the suggestions but also maybe you could try chick portals? You make a hole in the brooder wall big enough for the chicks to fit but not the bigs and you could open it soon if you wanted and they can run back in there to hide and get away. And/or hiding places and places to get away in the main coop and run and plenty of roosts. I'm going to try all this with the next chicks

 

[mortie]

Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[chickenlindz]

I've always had great success integrating babies to my adult flock. I always give them a couple of weeks where they can all see each other but not get to each other and I think that is key....

 

[mortie]

I believe it. That would be an awesome plan if I had the space and resources needed to pull that off. I have some ideas...we'll see how it goes...I just can't really separate them and keep them outside easily with my setup, even though I know that would be ideal. This is also why I got more chicks than I will be keeping - to spread the attentions of the older ladies among more babies!