Boy that went a lot smoother than I ever dreamed it would. Scenario: 5 chickens and 1 pekin duck - 3 chickens are 2 yrs old (as is duck) and 2 of them are 1 year olds. Then I added 8 new chicks this spring and another pekin. I had the young birds in 2 tractors. Those aren't particularly safe. I know I take chances using chicken tractors. I figured I had another week before I could start to put the young ones and older ones together. They did free roam together in the evenings without problems. The young pekin easily integrated. She went in1st. Once she became full sized (in less than 2 months), I just put her in with the others. Big duck really got bent out of shape over it. She went storming into the coop and you could hear her in there just quacking and quacking -- complaining big time. Took her about 3 weeks to adjust. All is well now with the ducks.
Then 1 evening I saw a huge raccoon on the video cams. I about flipped out. This was like midnight. I ran out and set a trap without results. Next day, I put the young chickens in the run with the big birds and watched closely. All went well. So I let them stay. They've been together about 3 weeks now without problems.
Just a note of encouragement to those with questions about introducing your new young birds to the old. The 3 things you really need to do: 1. let them free range together in the evening for weeks. 2. You will have less picking and stress if you just add a roost special for the new birds. The old birds will be territorial when it comes to sleeping on those roosts. If the new birds have their own, you will be less stressed and so will the new birds. You say "but I want to add more next year or the next and I don't have room to add a roost each time". I think as the new birds grow and become an accepted part of the old flock, that the new birds will come to sleeping on the old roosts cause they are higher. And I might take down the new roost to be added again if I get more birds. It will stay up until I see the new birds sleeping along side the old without issues. 3. Be patient. Let them grow up a little before you do this. 15 weeks is probably best but any time around that is ok provided they have been free ranging together. I know you just want them all together and it's so much easier when they are but... be patient. Size is an important factor.
Hope this helps someone!
Then 1 evening I saw a huge raccoon on the video cams. I about flipped out. This was like midnight. I ran out and set a trap without results. Next day, I put the young chickens in the run with the big birds and watched closely. All went well. So I let them stay. They've been together about 3 weeks now without problems.
Just a note of encouragement to those with questions about introducing your new young birds to the old. The 3 things you really need to do: 1. let them free range together in the evening for weeks. 2. You will have less picking and stress if you just add a roost special for the new birds. The old birds will be territorial when it comes to sleeping on those roosts. If the new birds have their own, you will be less stressed and so will the new birds. You say "but I want to add more next year or the next and I don't have room to add a roost each time". I think as the new birds grow and become an accepted part of the old flock, that the new birds will come to sleeping on the old roosts cause they are higher. And I might take down the new roost to be added again if I get more birds. It will stay up until I see the new birds sleeping along side the old without issues. 3. Be patient. Let them grow up a little before you do this. 15 weeks is probably best but any time around that is ok provided they have been free ranging together. I know you just want them all together and it's so much easier when they are but... be patient. Size is an important factor.
Hope this helps someone!
