I just had the smoothest integration of new chickens to my flock. Thought I'd share the experience!
I have four 14 week old youngsters. Three are Ameraucanas and one Easter Eggers. One of the Ameraucanas is looking awfully rooish, unfortunately.
I've kept them in an addition to my run (don't have a coop, just a 10x20 run with a tarp over the nesting boxes in one corner), the addition is 10x10. They've been in the addition with 7 guineas. There's also a wire dog kennel in there with 8 babies. They've all been in there for about 5 weeks.
I have 7 hens (used to be 9 until the coon showed up last week, grrrr) that are in the run during the day and free range from about 3:00 till dusk.
Yesterday, I let the hens out of the run and then put the pullets and roo into the run. The gate was open, but they stayed in the run all day and sat on the roost and picked at the dirt. No problems.
The hens came in at dusk and I checked on them for the umpteenth time. No problems. I closed the gate and the four young ones were on the opposite end of the roost from the 7 hens. No problems.
This morning, I checked on them while I was feeding the horses. No problems. None.
I checked again before leaving for work and one of the youngsters was missing. Totally gone. Freaked me out. I can't think of what would have happened to her in less than an hour. Had to leave for work.
Got home at 3:30 and ran out to the coop to make sure no one had been bullied or mauled. Not only was everything fine, but the missing pullet was back. No problems.
Let the hens out and the youngsters ran for the feed. I guess the hens scared them. But no one was hurt or bullied. No problems.
Went out after dark to close the run and three of the youngster had finally left the run and were roosting on top of it. Put them back on the roost and everybody is happy.
Wow! No fighting. No pecking. Nothing. So cool!!! Happy chicken mommy.
I have four 14 week old youngsters. Three are Ameraucanas and one Easter Eggers. One of the Ameraucanas is looking awfully rooish, unfortunately.
I've kept them in an addition to my run (don't have a coop, just a 10x20 run with a tarp over the nesting boxes in one corner), the addition is 10x10. They've been in the addition with 7 guineas. There's also a wire dog kennel in there with 8 babies. They've all been in there for about 5 weeks.
I have 7 hens (used to be 9 until the coon showed up last week, grrrr) that are in the run during the day and free range from about 3:00 till dusk.
Yesterday, I let the hens out of the run and then put the pullets and roo into the run. The gate was open, but they stayed in the run all day and sat on the roost and picked at the dirt. No problems.
The hens came in at dusk and I checked on them for the umpteenth time. No problems. I closed the gate and the four young ones were on the opposite end of the roost from the 7 hens. No problems.
This morning, I checked on them while I was feeding the horses. No problems. None.
I checked again before leaving for work and one of the youngsters was missing. Totally gone. Freaked me out. I can't think of what would have happened to her in less than an hour. Had to leave for work.
Got home at 3:30 and ran out to the coop to make sure no one had been bullied or mauled. Not only was everything fine, but the missing pullet was back. No problems.
Let the hens out and the youngsters ran for the feed. I guess the hens scared them. But no one was hurt or bullied. No problems.
Went out after dark to close the run and three of the youngster had finally left the run and were roosting on top of it. Put them back on the roost and everybody is happy.
Wow! No fighting. No pecking. Nothing. So cool!!! Happy chicken mommy.
