Successful Integration!

[MilburnCreek]

For 8 weeks, the babies were in the house, at which point we moved them to the coop with the older girls. We divided both the coop interior and the run with a screen divider so they could see but not interact with each other. Today (10 weeks), we took the screens down. Babies and Old Ladies are happily and curiously inspecting the expanded coop area, and behaving nicely!

 

[aart]

Congrats!!
How many chicks and how many 'old ladies'?
How did things go at roosting time?
Sounds like you had a good setup, being able to split both coop and run.
Would love to see more pics of that.
Looks like a large run...lots of space always helps.

How did you stand having those birds in the house for 8 weeks!?
I brood in the coop at 1 week after hatch, then integrate at 4-6 weeks.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

 

[MilburnCreek]

We have five older Orpingtons and 8 Wyandotte chicks (so the newbies outnumber the oldsters!) At dusk, everyone marched into their coop. We have two ramps and two doors (one for each set of chickens during the 'division,') and I was surprised that they very quickly took to using whichever ramp they felt like at the moment. However, each returned to their old roosts, and nighttime was uneventful. Everyone is getting along together this morning in the run.

I will post pictures of the coop and schematics after I finish some aesthetic details, but the coop is 8 x 12 and the run is 24 x 12, so they have lots of room.

In the house, we have a room set aside for the chicks, and they have a large (8 x 6), plastic-lined brooder. We remind ourselves that "its only eight weeks," clean it every week, and give the room a thorough sanitizing when its over!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Yep, congratulations, you done good. My set-up is different so I do it differently but to me a successful integration is where none get hurt. You managed that.

I'm glad you don't seem to be worried about where they sleep. I see a lot of people on here that seem to feel they have to get the chicks sleeping on the roosts with the adults. I think that is a mistake. As long as they are not sleeping in the nests and are protected from predators I don't care where they sleep. They'll work that out in their own time and usually with a lot less drama than if we interfere. If they do start sleeping in the nest we can chat about that and get it fixed but so far I think you are doing great.

I'm also glad you provided enough room to give you flexibility to manage things instead of shoe-horning them into a minimum space. You just keep doing everything right.

 

[aart]

The lots of room and separate but adjacent coop and run areas are the key to this success. Bravo!
Looking forward to pics, we don't need no aesthetics

 

[doublecrossranch]

I am curious how the full integration went

 

[aart]

I am curious how the full integration went

Yes....things continued to go well @MilburnCreek ?

...and how 'bout those pics?

I will post pictures of the coop and schematics after I finish some aesthetic details, but the coop is 8 x 12 and the run is 24 x 12, so they have lots of room.

 

[Mrs. K]

Truthfully, I don't think with that set up, you would need to keep them in the house. Get them out there about 3-4 weeks. They will be healthier the sooner you get them out and way less mess in the house.

MRs K