Time to mix new chicks with the flock! ** Success **

[midget_farms]

OK - I've got 1 barred rock, 1 frizzle & 1 RIR rooster. I just yesterday had to put down my other barred rock due to a nasty leg injury, but that is a different story.

I also have three Buff Orpington chicks about 9 weeks old now that are ready to join the flock.

Here is what I've done so far. - Today was cleaning day so I cleaned the chick brooder (large dog kennel) & took some extra fence & built a temporary pen in the garage next to the brooder for the adult birds. I have now brought the three adult birds into this pen so they can see & hear the chicks etc. They cannot yet get to each other.

Tomorrow I will scrub & disinfect the coop & separate a small section in the run where the chicks can get & the others (except the banty frizzle) can't so they have somewhere to hide when they need to.

Tomorrow night I will put them all together in the coop for the first time & will let them into the run Monday morning.

Someone tell me if I'm crazy - I'm trying really hard to make this introduction successful & I don't want my roo killing ANY chicks.

Should I keep him separate all together for a week or so? I can easily do that when I build the partition.

What do you think?

 

[65browneyes]

Funny you should ask......

I just put my 8 week olds in with my older girls last night. My method was....

I put them in the nursery coop about 3 weeks ago. The nursery is directly adjacent to the original run as you can see here. This enables everyone a 'getting acquainted' period. The hen and chicks in this photo are from last year's hatch.

I waited yesterday evening until it had begun to cool off a bit (at 3 pm, it was 107 in my backyard today). I brought all the older girls into the original run and took the 7, 8 week olds to the 'expansion' area and closed the gate. This allowed them time to kinda check out the new digs from a different angle. The gate had not been installed yet in this photo.

After about an hour or so in the expansion, when all the older girls had gone to bed, I opened the gate and let the little ones into the original run. I then closed and locked the expansion as I do every night. (It isn't designed to be night-predator proof.) This morning, everyone seems to be getting along just fine. There's been no bickering at all. I even have an Australorp hen who appears to have decided to foster these children, even though she has never shown even the remotest inclination towards motherhood.

The original run with the nursery coop at the front (to the left in the photo).

Good luck to you!

 

[midget_farms]

Wow! what a great method - thanks for the pictures!

I had the chicks & older birds w/i sight of each other for the night & most of today. I was having a problem with my dog sitting at the pen salivating all day so I moved the chicks to the coop earlier today Just to keep them safe.

My plan is to put the hens with them tonight after dark, & to throw in some chopped up apples & greens so they will be distracted in the morning before I can let them out.
I'm a little worried about the roo, but I bet he doesn't care about a couple of chicks running around. The real test will be if the big momma hen can tolerate them.

 

[midget_farms]

Success - new new chicks are in with the rest of the flock & as far as they can tell the chicks have always been there

 

[65browneyes]

Wonderful! I'm glad it's gone smoothly for you so far!

 

[Birdgardengal]

I am about ready to put my smaller chicks in with the older bunch also. Thanks both of you for the good ideas.