yet another question about intergrating....

[tyjaco]

ok, so I moved my 4 adult hens to the new coop on Sunday - after dark (cuz that's the only way I can catch one of them .
On Monday afternoon, I moved my 8 - 8 week old chicks out as well. They are in the same coop - with a wire "fence" between them. And they share a run - still with a wire fence between them.

I find it interesting that the big girls haven't really paid much attention to the little ones.

I sprinkle scratch close to the fence on both sides, to try to bring them closer to one another...

How long do I do this? When it comes time for them to meet, should I remove the outside wire fence and leave the one inside the coop there for a while? Just thinking maybe it would give them a place to run to in case they get too picked on..? OR is it best to just take all the temp wire down to let them "have at it"? How long will it take tyhem to establish their new pecking order??

thx!!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I probably would have put the little ones in the new coop first. Then when they're closer to the same size move the bigger birds in there one or two at a time. That way they'll be the newbies and they'll be coming into the younger birds home.
Free ranging together is the least stressful way to introduce birds.
Lastly put introduced birds on the roost at night.

 

[tyjaco]

As you can see from my post - I have already moved them.

They are side by side - inside and out. (right or wrong - thats where they are)

So at this point - any suggestions?

 

[Den in Penn]

Conventional wisdom say let them see each other for a week. I'd take the run fence out first and see how it goes. If all is well the coop can opened up. But I think that was your plan. All should settle down and the pecking order established in a day or two.

 

[tyjaco]

thank you!
yah, that was what I thought I should do...but I don't always plan the right thing! lol!

I guess I should have moved the youngsters first, but blew that one, too..

Hopefully, they will all be ok.

I guess I thought there would be more interaction "over the fence"...