Wing It Ranch

[thistlewick]

Question for y'all.... how long should I wait to integrate? I'm quite nervous about it because my hens are pretty fiesty to each other. I'm dreading to see how they treat the 8 new comers. The babies are 8 weeks old tomorrow. At what age would they be close to the same size? I'm guessing 12 weeks?...

Here they are all taking a nap in a pile yesterday:
View attachment 4092342

I am a newbie! My initial 2 flocks I integrated at 8 weeks and they just ignored each other completely at acted like completely different flocks UNTIL they were about the same size lol

I think it's just chickens being chickens. Do they roost together in the same area? I think that helps SO much. I now have new babies living in the hen house since I brought them home as 2-3 day old chicks and the big girls pay them no mind and the babies, who are now 3-6 weeks old, act like they want to go out with the girls in the morning and are mad that they cannot.

 

[Bawkbok]

I don't know the answer to your specific question. When we integrated our pullets - much smaller numbers - it was three pullets to two adult hens. They were approximately 18 weeks and still on the small side. There was the usual pecking from the adults for a few days but then it became two separate flocks sharing the same space for the first month until about two weeks ago. They are now almost as tall as the adult just not as wide of course without the extra mass and feathering. They are now around 6 months age and act as one happy flock and the pecking is non existent unless the bully pullet needs a correction from boss lady. The leader is also now letting the others eat with her if they choose. They still generally hold back until she's done, then they move in. They all hang together, bath together and rest together in a group. When they are released into the yard, the pullets are now starting to stay close to adult whereas initially the pullets hung together as a group separated from adult off doing her own thing. Hope that helps in some small way.

I think you still have more adults than pullets, correct? As long as there is enough space in the run for them all to get away from the pecking adults, you should be fine. Eight weeks might be a little young yet but I'm certainly no expert. You have a pretty flock.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I integrate starting much earlier, the smaller they are the less they are seen as a threat to resources. I'd cut some holes and get it going now. Be sure too have multiple feed and water stations, these will be the things you're hens guard, and items that block line of site, but nothing where they can be cornered. Pecking and chasing is going to happen to an extent.

 

[WingItRanch]

Right now I have them "next door" in their own smaller coop/run but they can all see each other. There will be plenty of room in the main coop when ready (the hens all sleep on one roost bar but there's another one 8 ft long that's empty) but I'm also adding on to the run and at the opposite end of the coop, I will be adding roosts and half walls to make a sort of Open Air Coop.

I'm also going to add some clutter so the littles can escape pecks. I'll have 10 hens and 8 pullets.

I guess the babies have plenty of space right now so I'll wait to integrate until I add on to the main space. Or I could do as @Auntiejessi3 suggests and make a small door/ tunnel between coops that would allow the chicks between coops but the big girls couldn't chase them into the grow-out pen....

I let the bigs free range for several hours in the afternoon but don't trust the babies just yet.

Another question for any who has an opinion... if I don't have a cockerel in this current bunch, I'm considering getting a rooster in the future. Would 1 rooster to 18 hens be way too overwhelming for him? I don't like the idea of getting 2 roosters because that just screams trouble.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Right now I have them "next door" in their own smaller coop/run but they can all see each other. There will be plenty of room in the main coop when ready (the hens all sleep on one roost bar but there's another one 8 ft long that's empty) but I'm also adding on to the run and at the opposite end of the coop, I will be adding roosts and half walls to make a sort of Open Air Coop.

I'm also going to add some clutter so the littles can escape pecks. I'll have 10 hens and 8 pullets.

I guess the babies have plenty of space right now so I'll wait to integrate until I add on to the main space. Or I could do as @Auntiejessi3 suggests and make a small door/ tunnel between coops that would allow the chicks between coops but the big girls couldn't chase them into the grow-out pen....

I let the bigs free range for several hours in the afternoon but don't trust the babies just yet.

Another question for any who has an opinion... if I don't have a cockerel in this current bunch, I'm considering getting a rooster in the future. Would 1 rooster to 18 hens be way too overwhelming for him? I don't like the idea of getting 2 roosters because that just screams trouble.

Depends on the breed, some don't require as many hens as others. But I would expect your fertility % to be a bit lower. You could always wait for a broody and get some fertile eggs, then you'd get your broody experience, possibly a cockerel (most likely), and a cockerel raised within a flock with older hens learns his manners well.

 

[WingItRanch]

Depends on the breed, some don't require as many hens as others. But I would expect your fertility % to be a bit lower. You could always wait for a broody and get some fertile eggs, then you'd get your broody experience, possibly a cockerel (most likely), and a cockerel raised within a flock with older hens learns his manners well.

I like that idea better!

 

[thistlewick]

We have 1 rooster for 15 hens (was 17 until recently) and they are all fertile eggs >< He gets around lololol

We have 15 pullets coming up and 2 more Cockerels, so that will be 30 hens and 3 boys... we might just remove the Blue Wyandotte rando Cockerel (was supposed to be a TSC premium pullet !) and put him with the bachelors.

 

[WingItRanch]

I don't know the answer to your specific question. When we integrated our pullets - much smaller numbers - it was three pullets to two adult hens. They were approximately 18 weeks and still on the small side. There was the usual pecking from the adults for a few days but then it became two separate flocks sharing the same space for the first month until about two weeks ago. They are now almost as tall as the adult just not as wide of course without the extra mass and feathering. They are now around 6 months age and act as one happy flock and the pecking is non existent unless the bully pullet needs a correction from boss lady. The leader is also now letting the others eat with her if they choose. They still generally hold back until she's done, then they move in. They all hang together, bath together and rest together in a group. When they are released into the yard, the pullets are now starting to stay close to adult whereas initially the pullets hung together as a group separated from adult off doing her own thing. Hope that helps in some small way.

I think you still have more adults than pullets, correct? As long as there is enough space in the run for them all to get away from the pecking adults, you should be fine. Eight weeks might be a little young yet but I'm certainly no expert. You have a pretty flock.

Glad to hear all is well with your pullets. I'd love to see updated pics!

 

[Bawkbok]

Glad to hear all is well with your pullets. I'd love to see updated pics!

I'll work on that this week. They grow so fast - as you know. Fun to watch their personalities emerge. In our tiny flock we seem to have every type from bully to submissive, shy and mischievous. Couldn't all be evenly balanced - no. Keeping me on my toes.

 

[WingItRanch]

The other day one of my shy chicks was feeling more bold and decided I wasn't so bad and she came up to take treats. I realized she has some crazy eyes. One eye is so dark it looks black. The other eye is half black / half hazel. Has anyone seen this before? It's pretty cool. She's perfectly healthy.