What are people's preferences, practices, thoughts on when to integrate chicks into a "flock". I'm relatively new to chicken-keeping (and this forum). So as a refresher, I have two girls that are about 15 weeks old and then two chicks that are about 5-6 weeks old.
The two chicks are pretty much completely feathered out, the 5 week old probably has a bit more feathering to do on her neck. I'd like to integrate them sooner than later, to start getting them used to the weather without the heat lamp, while its still mild out. My only concern is that they are banties and the other two are standards. So the size difference is still pretty significant. My top girl seems to accept them, the other wants to kick their, little chickie bums any time they happen to fly out of my hands or their enclosure.
What are you thoughts?
When to integrate?
I'm totally against placeing Bantams of any age with standard chickens especially roosters.
Bantams are at the mercy of these giants in thier eyes and in my opinion it is cruel to place them together. Some may disagree but i stand firm on this one issue because ive seen what a large roo can do to a hen and ive seen bantys cowering and skinny from being chased continusly by larger birds.
So please i ask you to think about this before you do it.
I raise and breed bantams and these are happy little birds and are a real joy to own and i hope you are enjoying yours. I'm sure the others will be here soon to give thier opinions good luck and happy chickening.
Thanks for sharing your opinions, Harmony. I'll keep that in mind. You mentioned the roos, I don't have any roos. So I don't have to worry about the sexual abuse that some of you were just discussing in another post.
I just have girls for urban egg production. I have been told by a number of people that as long as each type or size had a buddy they should be OK. So that had been my plan... I have two bigger girls and two bantam girls (at least I'm hoping they are both girls - see other post!). ;-)
I don't usually get a lot of response to my posts. So it may be just you... and I thank you!
I got my silkies(ended up with all roos!) at the same time as my Buff Orps so they grew up together. They have done well. I do agree with Harmony though. I think it's better to keep them separate since they haven't been together from the start. If that's not going to work due to room, ect, maybe you could do a supervised introduction. Do you think that the more aggressive hen is setting the pecking order and perhaps they might settle down?
My silkie roos have actually asserted themselves as the top of the chicken coop. They have their girls that they like and at the moment are 'in love' with the same BO hen(poor girl).
Yes, I think that she may just be looking forward to not being at the bottom of the pecking order. I was just looking for some tips on how others introduce for minimal trauma to all and what is regular establishing pecking order behavior versus being a bully.
I've read about introducing them at night while everyone is sleeping. So I figured I'd do that, but the other question I have is about age and size and readiness. Regardless of the species difference, I'm curious about when and how people introduce newbies to their flock.
Harmony,
Just a piece of mind for you (and all), I will NOT allow bullies in my flock! I love my girls and don't stand for them being bullied. They all have all their feathers and I plan to keep it that way! :~)
Check out one of my first posts to this forum... I ended up getting rid of one of my first three girls because she was a punk and wouldn't leave the tail feathers of my other girls alone. I do want to *attempt* to introduce them on a day that I'm around to closely supervise. If there is too much pecking I will absolutely intervene and have to figure out what to do then. I don't really have the space to have more than one enclosure and/or pen for two groups.
Way to go i dispise a bully chicken sorry to be so blunt about my feelings.
Intergrateing at night i don't know about that when they get up they are still the same chickens.
Sometimes if you move all of them to a new pen together it confuses them because you have reset the pecking order. I myself have a pen thats in sections its a old rabbit breeding cage i will put them in there side by side and let them get use to each other thru the wire i can usally put them together after that but its not 100%
No worries, the opinions are appreciated. I had a bit of concern about introducing banties to standards, but everyone else I had talked with said, "they'll be fine!". ;~) So its good to have the heads up again so that I make sure I'm here on the first day. I'll try to see if I can craft something that puts them side by side with wire in between. The big girls typically get free reign of my whole back yard. So I'll see what I can do.
Thanks!
I put the babies in the big girls enclosed pen today and let the big girls roam the yard (as usual). They looked so big! And they were so happy! I spread some feed for all four on both sides of the wire fencing and let them scratch together a bit. All went well until Talula decided she wanted the chick's scratch as well as her own. So she pecked at Millie through the fence. I missed the peck, but I saw the reaction. I was so proud of Millie! She fluffed up and butted her little chickie breast up against the fence --- ha!
She's who we also refer fondly as pecky or ... well, I won't go there, but she likes to peck! So its good to see she wasn't going to back down. Anyway, I'll probably continue this little routine for a week or so and let them get a bit bigger, then move on to trying to introduce them into the hen house.
Anyone else out there wanna weigh in with their opinions on when and how?
I'm a newbie, but I'd think that in the evening, around about the time they are starting to settle in would be a good time.. They might be too tired to mess with it..
I would think sneaking them in after they are asleep would end up surprising them in the morning might be a bit of a shock and maby fluff some feathers.. LOL