Transition of chicks into flock

[Abriana]

Do a run. It's easy to build and the chicks won't get eaten while they learn what is dangerous. The other chickens will be able to see them and get used to them so they won't get attacked when you put them in. I always use a run and it has worked like a charm every time. I have a rabbit hutch with plywood on the sides for a windbreak and i just prop the door open with a rock and slid the run so that the hutch opening and run opening meet. Then you have a run anytime you need it, for a hurt hen that needs to be by herself and you would rather have her stay out with the rest of the flock for example. I think a run would be best.

 

[Abriana]

I have somewhat of a dilemma. Currently I have three layers that are free range. I shut the coop up at night but during the day there is no run/fencing at all. My new chicks (2 roosters and 6 hens as far as I can tell), are in a large bathtub at the moment, are 2-3 weeks old. Another week or so I will put them outside in a "transitional coop" that is set up next to the larger coop. They will not have ground access. My dilemma is how to best put them in with my layers. I'm concerned with them being totally free range and not finding their way back to the coop. I'm not home from 10am to 4pm every day so not there to keep an eye on them. I was hoping they would just follow the older ones throughout the day but that may be wishful thinking.
Should I build a temporary run for them? I don't have any way to transition them into the larger coop without the layers unless I shut my layers out and I don't want to do that as, of course, the nesting boxes are in the coop. Guess I wasn't thinking about the transitioning to free range when I decided to add to the flock...
I still have to get the roof and the rest of the wire on the new one so have room to make changes/additions if needed and can be moved to better placement. The pallet fencing and hog wire in the background will not contain the chickens.
Thanks ahead of time for any advice!
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If you don't want to shut the hens out, you could build a little plywood box inside the coop for them to stay in for about three days (The time it takes for them to realize this is their home).

 

[Abriana]

Do a run. It's easy to build and the chicks won't get eaten while they learn what is dangerous. The other chickens will be able to see them and get used to them so they won't get attacked when you put them in. I always use a run and it has worked like a charm every time. I have a rabbit hutch with plywood on the sides for a windbreak and i just prop the door open with a rock and slid the run so that the hutch opening and run opening meet. Then you have a run anytime you need it, for a hurt hen that needs to be by herself and you would rather have her stay out with the rest of the flock for example. I think a run would be best.

BTW this was my set-up for my Dutch Bantam who is very small and can't protect the chicks very well from hens or hawks (one did get eaten when i was gone and she and her chicks were out, luckily though it got rid of the chick who was pulling out Bantam's feathers and would have caused a problem). They live in the run until she starts pecking at them and then they stay for a while, maybe two months longer full time, and then out only when I'm around, and then out full time.

 

[Sharwig]

This is a timely thread for my situation as well so thank you!

Background: I have eight laying hens (3 RIR's, 2 BR's and 3 Auracana's) and five pullets (1 BR who is about 13 weeks, 1/ea golden sexlink, black sexlink, GLW and a SLW (who we think is a roo) all about 11 weeks).

Anywho, we have a separate coop in a separate yard for the pullets where they roost at night, but we've been letting them free range during the day, with the big girls, for a couple of weeks now (we live on 1 acre). The two groups still stay away from each other for the most part -- we have put the pullets in the main coop a few times to familiarize them with it and they have even ventured in by themselves once or twice when the hens were out foraging.

Here are the questions I hope you all can help me with: Are the pullets still too young to put in the main coop at night? If so, how old should they be? If not, how is the best way to start transitioning them? Should we sneak them in at night?

The coop is 12x6 and has two 6-foot roosts and a smaller 1 foot roost but we're looking at reconfiguring these.

Appreciate the input and look forward to reading your responses!

 

[Abriana]

I put my 11 and 12 week old pullets in a box inside the coop, but then Bantam took that when she hatched some chicks, and so i just leaned a grate against the wall of the coop and closed the sides in for them to sleep in instead. I don't think you need to sneak them in, and it isn't really a matter of age, but of integration. You could have six week old chicks that can be with the main flock because they all get along. I think it would be best to put them in a separate box inside the coop or other safe enclosure that they can see out of. If they are not well integrated, you should use a run for them in an area where the big chickens are a lot so that they can be seen but not hurt. If they were bigger and able to defend themselves, i would say even if they are not integrated you could just let them be with the big chickens in the coop, but they are still young.
So, to sum it all up: use a separate enclosure inside the coop that the pullets can see out of, but the chickens can't get to them when they are in it, then when they are integrated, they can mix together in the coop. Keep on integrating them during the day, and to protect them from chickens and predators, keep them in a run during the day. This is optional, depending on how well they are doing together. I hope these are the answers you were looking for, if you need anymore information, just ask and i will be happy to answer!

 

[Sharwig]

Thanks Abriana! I'm guessing by integrated you mean when they actually start hanging together rather than separately? They should be familiar with each other since they forage in the same space, but we have a couple RIR's that go after them if they get too close so its still a little like the Crips and Bloods without the violence! LOL . Should I remove the RIR's that are somewhat bullyish?

 

[debid]

This is a timely thread for my situation as well so thank you!

Background: I have eight laying hens (3 RIR's, 2 BR's and 3 Auracana's) and five pullets (1 BR who is about 13 weeks, 1/ea golden sexlink, black sexlink, GLW and a SLW (who we think is a roo) all about 11 weeks).

Anywho, we have a separate coop in a separate yard for the pullets where they roost at night, but we've been letting them free range during the day, with the big girls, for a couple of weeks now (we live on 1 acre). The two groups still stay away from each other for the most part -- we have put the pullets in the main coop a few times to familiarize them with it and they have even ventured in by themselves once or twice when the hens were out foraging.

Here are the questions I hope you all can help me with: Are the pullets still too young to put in the main coop at night? If so, how old should they be? If not, how is the best way to start transitioning them? Should we sneak them in at night?

The coop is 12x6 and has two 6-foot roosts and a smaller 1 foot roost but we're looking at reconfiguring these.

Appreciate the input and look forward to reading your responses!

You're almost there. I'm not a fan of sneaking chickens in. Nobody is fooled by this technique, it just means you aren't there to intervene so they are free to work things out. Sometimes it's OK. Here, it wasn't and the youngest was killed.

So, this is my no-blood strategy...

Do you use scratch or something similar to entice them back into the coop? That was how I did it -- made a big show of sprinkling it around the run and let them all eat together. The first few times, I left the door open so the babies could dart in and out grabbing bites and retreating. When they stopped freaking out too much when pecked (as in they just ran a short distance and went for treats again), I closed them all in with the treats and gave them about 15 minutes of supervised interaction. Repeat until that's a non-event. This was followed by an hour of supervised interaction and then I left them in until dusk because all was relatively peaceful. Next day, they were in most of the day together (unsupervised) but slept separately. Next day, I left them until dark and moved any that chose to roost in the run. That was a huge fail and they were all moved to the baby coop that night. BUT, the next night, I only had to move one so I put her in the big coop with the other youngsters and that was the last time I needed to move anyone. 12 weeks old and they were entirely done. Now, they do still range in a mini pack but there is progressively more unity as a flock. It's interesting how they're suddenly bonded when one makes an alarm call.

 

[Abriana]

Thanks Abriana! I'm guessing by integrated you mean when they actually start hanging together rather than separately? They should be familiar with each other since they forage in the same space, but we have a couple RIR's that go after them if they get too close so its still a little like the Crips and Bloods without the violence! LOL . Should I remove the RIR's that are somewhat bullyish?

As long as it's not bloody or out of control, you don't have to remove the RIR hens, also keep them together so that they become friends. Pecking of chicks by hens is normal, they want to put the chicks in their rightful place-at the bottom of the pecking order.

 

[Sharwig]

Thank you both for the sound advice! Here's an update:

So night before last, I put the young pullets in the coop after the hens had gone to roost for the night (about 9:15 pm), but they were still awake and alert. It was light outside and we have a light in the coop so we didn't "sneak" them in. I watched them for about 20 minutes paying particular attention to one of our RIR's who likes to "patrol" the roost area. To my surprise, no issues! I went back out after 10 pm when the light had gone out and it was dark and found everyone was quiet. The pullets were on the floor and the hens on the roosts..so I let them be. Next morning, my husband said the pullets were nestled on a "stump" below the roosting board and everyone seemed well-behaved and the hens seemed unconcerned to have the babies in their space.

Last night, I did the same thing. When I went out to check after 10, 3 of the young girls had made their way up on the roost platform with the big girls. Two were even nestled on the smaller 1 ft roost with one of our sweet Auracana's! I had two in my nesting boxes below so I carefully moved them up on to the large center roost and watched quietly...again, no issues or aggression with the older hens. Got up this morning and everyone was busy eating with no issues! YIPPEE!

So my next question is...do I need to worry about which food the young pullets are eating? I thought I read that they should not be eating layer pellets before they start laying?

 

[Beatrice&Maple]

I didn't start feeding my chickens layer pellets until they started laying, but if you think they might start laying soon then it's probably all right to start now.