Transitioning the little ones with the big ones

[the3ofus+oursixchicks]

I have 2 babies inside that are going on 2 months old. They have been free ranging with everybody else and it goes good 95% of the time they stay out pretty much all day and I bring them in to sleep in my house. how do I get them sleeping outside with everybody else. Or are they still to small?

 

[Judy]

They're plenty old enough to be outdoors. Maybe try bribing them into the coop with a treat at dusk, or just settng them on the roost when the others are settling. There will be some squabbling, but all flocks seem to do this at roost time. You could also try setting them on the roost after dark when the rest have already settled.

 

[the3ofus+oursixchicks]

there are 5 others with their mother that are a few weeks older than these 2. she is in the process of unmothering them though. poor things. so she is roosting and they are to but not right with her. I might could put these littler one in with the bigger little ones if that makes any sense

 

[Judy]

You missed a good chance to integrate without difficulty there. If the mama raises her chicks in with the flock, when she stops mothering them, they are already integrated.

It might smooth things out a bit to add these, and it might make things worse. There is really no way to know without trying it. Probably the best way to integrate is house them side by side for a few weeks first, with chicken wire in between, which of course requires separate coops. Lots more info here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/803815/integrating-two-groups/0_20