I just bought 4 chickens - fully feathered but not grown - I call them juveniles but I'm not sure if that is correct. I've read about not adding adult birds to the flock and the dangers. It is after the fact but what about juveniles? I have them quarantined in the basement now and will be watching them. I'm a bit scared of adult birds but chicks I have to get so many and seem to end up with quantities of roos. Are juveniles safer or in the same class as adults?
After a month of quarantine, you will need to integrate. We have a box built into the side of our coop. Basically, a 14 inch wide by 5 foot area that has a roof. We store things on top, and usually keep it open, but when we are integrating or have a sick chicken, we put them in to the "brooder or sick area". This keeps them seperate but allows everyone to get to know each other. Two weeks of seeing each other but no touching. Then we start opening the door and mingling everyone with us out watching. This is a pic of me watching with my squirter.... I watch an squirt aggresive behaviour for 2 to 3 days. After that, the job is usually done. If you do not have a seperated area in your coop, get a wire cage to place the new girls in. It works just as well. The key is allowing everyone to get to know each other from the safety of barrier. See but not touch. Oh, and have lots of patience..... Our seperate area for new girls or sick girls.... Good Luck!! It can be nerve racking but will work out in the end...
man I just through my new 6-4 week olds in with my 8-8 week olds and they are all doing fine but the younger chicks stay in the coop all day and the older girls stay outside all day they sleep together at night. I did this because I didn't know you were supposed to QT so far so good the only thing I've seen so far was one of the chicks went outside the coop and got scared and started screaming which upset one of the older girls so she darted at him but didn't peck or anything. I plan to keep it like this for another week or two before letting them all in the run together. I love the squirt bottle idea I will have one on hand when I introduce the chicks to the run with the other girls supervised of course.
I have some juveniles right now so I think when quarantine is up the new juveniles will be the same size to put in with them rather than the full grown birds.
