Two Sets of Chicks... How to Integrate?

[Desert Peep]

To make a long story short... I had a broody buff orpington named Myrtle who sat on eggs for 21 days. One hatched part way and died, the other was a bunch of smelly stuff. Any how I went to the feed store and got her three one day old chicks and gave them to her. She's as happy as a clam being a momma. So the other day I'm in another feed store (I just can't help it) and they have easter egger chicks, which are my favorite so I get three of those little fuzzy butts. Myrtle won't have anything to do with these new babies, and was pecking and bullying them, so into the brooder they go in the spare bedroom. My question is... when will Myrtle let her babies be independent so that I can put all the babies together in the outside brooder. I don't want to take her babies away from her too soon, but the inside babies will need to go outdoors in about a month. When can I separate her from her babies? Thanks.

 

[HomesteadGal]

I've had pretty good luck with adding new birds at night after mine have roosted. They wake up the next day with the new chickens and I've had minimal pecking as they think they've always been together.

You might try this sneak-them-in-the-flock trick with your chicks. If it doesn't work then use some screening to divide the brooder so they can see each other for a few days or so. They might be fine once you remove the divider. They are going to do at least some pecking on each other regardless of what you do. If you have one that is really getting beat up, remove the bully and see what happens. If the others accept the new ones, then separate the bully chick for a day or so and then put it back in the flock. The bully chick will then be at the bottom of the pecking order and will most likely leave the one it was pecking on alone.

Hope some of this info. helps you.

 

[Urbanfarmerkc]

Myrtle won't leave the chicks they will actually leave her. Usually when they feather out and no longer need her heat. If the babies are under a week old and you just got the ones from the feed store, you may be able to integrate them. A wise old farmer once told me to always integrate at night and always spray with vinegar water when you do. Chickens are smell oriented and if they can't smell when someone is new, it is usually an easy integration... Of course, there is the typical figuring out who is on top of the pecking order but once that is established you are good to go.

Hope this helps.

 

[Desert Peep]

Thanks for the advice. I did put the chicks under Myrtle after it was dark outside. Everything was good until daybreak, then she was bullying the new chicks. She was pecking at them pretty hard. They were running away from her trying to hide. It was Myrtle, the momma, who was doing the bullying of the new chicks. The chicks themselves were getting along fine.

 

[Urbanfarmerkc]

too bad...

Sorry it didn't work out.

 

[Urbanfarmerkc]

Just an added part, last night I put more chicks under my two bantam cochin hens and they took them with no problem... So, it probably depends on the hen and how long the other chicks have been with her...

 

[MamaHynne]

Sadie was a hen someone gave me. She was never tame, and hardly tolerant of my family, but I hope her becoming a Mama might calm her down--just the opposite. I tried integrating and she became excessively violent. I found her a new home, kept her babies and now, I have 4 different sets of babies at alll different ages and they all tolerate one another rather well. Good Luck!

 

[Urbanfarmerkc]

Quote:
See I want an aggressive momma... I have all kinds of nasty things wanting to eat my chicks... She would likely defend them to death... Wish I had lived closer and I'd have taken her off your hands. LOL