The trials of bringing in new babies

[Suess hens]

This was always something I heard about and didn't seem to have issues with when I first tried. But I was dealing with chicks who were all within a few weeks of each other, and when moved outside they were in a huge run for just the 5 of them. Then I went to add some new babies and suddenly realized exactly what every one was talking about when they said it was tough, delicate, anxiety ridden, cautiously dealt with, long process, and all the other things we have heard.
For future newbies, or people that are going to be trying this soon, could we write down some of the things we have done to make the transition easier?

 

[crazyhen]

Please do. I have 6 week old chicks now in a seperate side of the coop from my two Brahma girls. I have not fixed it to where they see each other yet. The whole coop would be to hard to heat for the little ones. Soon though I will need to know these things. Jean

 

[Momma_Cluck]

We use a LARGE indoor dog crate/kennel in the center of the coop-- they can see & be seen by the others, but can't get pecked, or starved out...

Then after a couple weeks, I just crack open the door--
usually some of the more curious older gals will go in and check things out...

if the babies start freaking-out or getting attacked, I close the door and wait another week... once all is hunky-dorey, I remove the crate.

(This works well for separating injured or aggressive birds too!

 

[Suess hens]

Quote:
I did something similar. When the babies were about 8 weeks I moved them out, in their brooder, which was a rubbermaid box. I tipped it on its side and put a screen over the front (which was the top). They were safe in there and no one could get in to attack them. After a few days I just tipped the screen and supported it with bricks so that the opening couldn't get bigger. The babies now had a safe place to go if they were under attack. This worked. As I saw that there were no problems I removed the brooder/rubbermaid box from the run.
But it has taken me 3 weeks to get them to go into the coop at night on their own with the big girls

 

[jossanne]

Quote:
This is what I do, with the addition of tying the kennel door open a couple of inches, so only the babies can get in and out. That way they have a safe place to hide from the big girls.

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Since this topic pops up every few weeks, I did a Search on "introducing new", and came up with so many different threads that I can't even copy and paste them here. Anyway, that would be a way for you to get more ideas about smooth flock transitioning...