Tips needed for adding chicks to main coop

[MomvdH]

We are new to chickens since April. We have 4 five month old hens. One Austria white, one Welsummer, and 2 silkies. We had to rehome 4 roosters. I wanted 8 total for our little coop, so we got 4 chicks - one buff Orpington, two Wyandottes, and one speckled Sussex, who are now 5 weeks old. I’m really ready to get the babies out of the brooder in the basement - they are super active, and smelly. We’ve taken them out to the coop every day this week, in a dog crate, moving them closer to the big girls. Now the crate is IN the coop, and today we let the babies roam in the coop with the big girls, supervised, because they were pretty much ignoring each other. But not totally. The silkies, one in particular, really wants to peck the babies, even through the dog crate…doing the see no touch. She touches! So I’m nervous leaving them in the coop, even in the crate. Am I overreacting? Also, I can’t decide when to leave them out overnight. I’ll attach a picture….they seem pretty well feathered. I have a box for them to get into for the night, if they choose. I don’t think they are ready to share the coop/roost for night, but I really don’t know. Our set up makes it easy enough to keep them separated, if it’s ok for them to be outside at night. Our coop is secure.

 

[Tookie]

What are your temperatures at night? How's your weather been?
So you are able to keep them separated from the older girls in the same coop using the see no touch method?
By the way your chicks are so stinking adorable!

 

[Lucky Joe]

I usually do the same exact thing as you with the dog crate. Normally for two weeks, before I release them with the others. The pecking order is quickly established and they're fine. However I do let them free range during the day, so that does help. Good luck.

 

[Bananabread]

After the see no touch for a week or two I like to do supervised visitations. Opening the door, a good bit of meal worms on hand, spread all over the place and a broom or rake near by to gently separate any flare ups that develop. Once it's clear they don't pay too much attention to one another I step out of the run and keep watching. Some pecks can be expected but when one really grabs hold is when I jump in. If that happens, I separate them all and try again another day.

 

[MomvdH]

What are your temperatures at night? How's your weather been?
So you are able to keep them separated from the older girls in the same coop using the see no touch method?
By the way your chicks are so stinking adorable!

Night temps are dipping to mid 50s right now. I weaned them off the heat lamp but it is quite a bit cooler. Daytimes are perfect 70s and sunny!
And yes, I put the dog crate with the littles inside the covered run with the bigs. For a few days we didn’t open the dog crate door, just let them see no touch (except for that silkie who could fit her head in and peck or pull feathers) Today we opened the crate and the littles popped right out, but keep to themselves. The bigs pretty much ignored them, I didn’t let the silkie close When they were out.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The openings in the crate are too large to do see but no touch since you have a bird that can simply put her head in. You can either line it with wire with smaller holes, like hardware cloth or very well secured, taut bird netting, or forgo it at this point since they've already had some intermingling and you may be better off providing them hiding spots away from the crate so they can take shelter elsewhere.

 

[Tookie]

Night temps are dipping to mid 50s right now. I weaned them off the heat lamp but it is quite a bit cooler. Daytimes are perfect 70s and sunny!

Daytime is good, but nighttime I feel it would be a bit too cold I think.
Maybe wait another couple weeks till you put them out for the night.

And yes, I put the dog crate with the littles inside the covered run with the bigs. For a few days we didn’t open the dog crate door, just let them see no touch (except for that silkie who could fit her head in and peck or pull feathers) Today we opened the crate and the littles popped right out, but keep to themselves. The bigs pretty much ignored them, I didn’t let the silkie close When they were out.

Sounds like it’s going ok!
I agree with @rosemarythyme about the holes and covering them.