So today I thought...my vacation is almost over and I still have not fixed the coop so I can get the babies in with the big girls... My babies are 4 1/2 weeks old and for the last two weeks they have been outside in a tractor where the big girls and boys were able to see them and check them out. My big girls are 21 weeks old and they just started laying this month, today I got 4 eggs from 5 hens I courtened off a section of the coop where the little one's would be safe from any "overly excited welcomes" They are enclosed with chicken wire and they have acess to the outside tractor thru a small door. I know it's very early to introduce them Wish me luck!!
Oh, they'll be fine and safe from aggressive pecking order actions there! But they'll be able to see, hear, smell and bawk at each other, even do chest bumps with the barrier between 'em. By the time you let them out together, the older ones will just go, "Oh, you, not strangers" and the only issues will be who gets to get closest to the feeders and waterers. (Be sure to put out additional feeder/waterers when you integrate them, because the big girls WILL still pull that crap on 'em.)
what gryeyes says! My coop is split and I always raise the kids on the one side of it until they're almost as big as the big chickens. By that time, nobody's a stranger. I second the extra water and feeders. I've experienced not thinking about that and those big kids do tend to bully the newbies away from the feeder.
So, everybody is put up and the coop is quiet. I am a little nervous but I think they will be alright. Nothing left other than to sit and see how they get thru the night.
Fingers crossed your babies' first night went well. Report back here please. My chicks will be 1mo this weekend & I have them setup much like you do with part of the coop sectioned off for them now & a "playpen" outside. The hens can see them & so far noone has showed more than a passing interest. I had the chicks outside of the pen last night for some supervised time with the freeranging hens. They got looked at and herded a bit but no aggression I could notice & chicks didn't seem scared. My plan is to cut a chick-sized door in the chicken wire of their indoor coop & keep their water & feed in there so they can get to it & the big girls can't. It will also give them someplace to run to if they need it. Hopefully they will be one big happy flock by the time it gets cold here.
That is really a good set-up! I'm ready to move mine to bigger quarters as well. I like the tractor idea.
The first night went well, everybody is okay. This morning it is raining so I guess the big ones will stay in the coop for awhile. That's okay with me, more "together time"
Quote:Thanks, we worked hard on it. I like the tractor because the little ones can go in and out as they see fit and they are safe from the big ones while I am at work. I also like the fact that I can move them onto some grass when it's nice out and I don't have to worry about any winged predators.
