Still outsiders?

[TyRi]

I had gotten a breeding pair early-mid August. After a few weeks in a side pen and then a few weeks in a pen inside the run, they have been in with my other 17 hens for about a month now. They still sleep in the run and stay to themselves mostly. Both still get picked on/chased a little bit (nothing too serious just the older girls being a little bippy). They both poke around the whole run occasionally but usually just stay along the back wall so i don’t feel like they are entirely shunned. I also have moved 4 12 week olds into the run from the side coop that will be doing a similar process within a month or so. The breeding pair are around 18-20 weeks and was just curious when:

1 they would start being part of the flock fully and going into the coop at night. (Run is 100% secure so no safety issues and I have set them in the coop through the pop door and they were not a fan came speeding back out)

And 2 when will the new roo start becoming the man of the flock? Seems like he should be about the age of trying to mate let alone atleast crowing?? But they both seem to just try to stay out of the way mostly. Just takes more time? Thanks!!

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi!

You didn't mention the breed. With our silkies, they will go through that issue at 16 weeks, but at 20 weeks, it's almost seamless. We do not have a run as they free range. Thus, we have to corral them from their temp coop to the main coop and that takes about 4-5 nights. We turn the light on inside the coop which makes it easier.

Perhaps if you did the same thing, turn the light on in the coop and corral them into it, then shut the door? If you have no light in there, just use something portable and put it just inside the chicken door.

The new roo may take a little more time to understand what he's supposed to do. He's a little young yet.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The pullet won't fully be part of the adult flock until she reaches POL. The cockerel is likely deferring to the older ladies as he too is still young, once he reaches maturity he should start garnering more respect from them.

 

[TyRi]

Hi!

You didn't mention the breed. With our silkies, they will go through that issue at 16 weeks, but at 20 weeks, it's almost seamless. We do not have a run as they free range. Thus, we have to corral them from their temp coop to the main coop and that takes about 4-5 nights. We turn the light on inside the coop which makes it easier.

Perhaps if you did the same thing, turn the light on in the coop and corral them into it, then shut the door? If you have no light in there, just use something portable and put it just inside the chicken door.

The new roo may take a little more time to understand what he's supposed to do. He's a little young yet.

They are Lemon Owlbeards. They roost near the coop door on a big vertical pallet. The only reason I am hesitant to lock them in there with the rest of the ladies is 1 I dont want them to lose their marbles and hurt themselves trying to get out/away and 2 to go along with 1 is since they are still outsiders, I don’t want them to get bullied with nowhere to go once locked in there. Am I being a little too worrisome and it will be fine? There is plenty of room on the roosting bars but should I put in a little temporary roost on the other side of the coop so they can still sleep on something if the older ladies dont let them up there?

 

[TyRi]

We also have solar powered string lights that turn on right around dusk that go around the coop and run so for about a half hour or so it is lit up before they turn off

 

[rosemarythyme]

They are Lemon Owlbeards. They roost near the coop door on a big vertical pallet. The only reason I am hesitant to lock them in there with the rest of the ladies is 1 I dont want them to lose their marbles and hurt themselves trying to get out/away and 2 to go along with 1 is since they are still outsiders, I don’t want them to get bullied with nowhere to go once locked in there. Am I being a little too worrisome and it will be fine? There is plenty of room on the roosting bars but should I put in a little temporary roost on the other side of the coop so they can still sleep on something if the older ladies dont let them up there?

If they've been in the run with the older hens for a month then they should be fine in the coop with them as well, if you'd rather transition them inside. You will either need to take away the pallet they're currently using and/or manually move them into the coop if you want them to switch though, otherwise they have no reason to make the change.

How many roost bars do you have? A temporary one might be a good idea if there's not an unoccupied roost for the newer birds to use.

 

[TyRi]

They still would rather be in the run than in the coop with the rest of the girls… i have reopened the auto pop door many nights in a row and put them in there but they just refuse to go in themselves with the rest of the chickens! Once they are in there they jump up with the rest of them and snuggle up but just won’t go in with them when it is time! They were left out a few nights ago because I had to work late and they were fine but I just don’t understand!

 

[Debbie292d]

They still would rather be in the run than in the coop with the rest of the girls… i have reopened the auto pop door many nights in a row and put them in there but they just refuse to go in themselves with the rest of the chickens! Once they are in there they jump up with the rest of them and snuggle up but just won’t go in with them when it is time! They were left out a few nights ago because I had to work late and they were fine but I just don’t understand!

If after all this time they still won't go in there, then I'd think there's something wrong. Birds should have minimum 4 square feet per bird in the coop, and 10-15 sq feet in the run. Perhaps they're feeling crowded in the coop? Do you have issues with mice, rats, snakes or anything else in there that could be going on at night that's scaring them?

 

[TyRi]

If after all this time they still won't go in there, then I'd think there's something wrong. Birds should have minimum 4 square feet per bird in the coop, and 10-15 sq feet in the run. Perhaps they're feeling crowded in the coop? Do you have issues with mice, rats, snakes or anything else in there that could be going on at night that's scaring them?

Nope no mice, bugs, snakes. I climb up in there semi often to inspect and if there was any scary things I would figure the other 16 would make a fuss going in or while in. There is a full 8ft roost bar unoccupied. They are usually the first to hop up on a shorter pallet in the run near the coop and snuggle up even before most the girls head up for the door. I guess i need to lay every one of them flat?

 

[rosemarythyme]

They are usually the first to hop up on a shorter pallet in the run near the coop and snuggle up even before most the girls head up for the door. I guess i need to lay every one of them flat?

Yup. At least until they prove they'll reliably roost inside.