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Barnyard Buddies:  Introducing a young chick to an established coop  |
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hsmommel
True Blue Farmgirl
61 Posts
Melissa
61 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 06 2011 : 4:53:51 PM
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I have a question ladies? How do you all introduce a young chick to an established coop. I currently have two, 4 month old bantams in a coop and I have a 7 week old Buff who is rapidly outgrowing his/her brooder! One of my bantams is a rooster and he is the sweetest guy, except with this new Buff. I've been taking the brooder box out during the day all week and setting it next to the window of the coop and then we try to bring them together at the end of the day (just before sunset) and while my rooster is not spreading his wings out about it anymore, he is still puffing up and having a fit at the idea. Any suggestions?
"What you do speaks so loudly I can't hear what you are saying." -- Benjamin Franklin |
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oldbittyhen
True Blue Farmgirl
1511 Posts
tina
quartz hill
ca
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - Oct 06 2011 : 7:20:16 PM
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keep them out of each others sights for a few days, then put the buff in the coop in the dead of dark, there will still be some pecking order, but usually not as severe...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
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walkinwalkoutcattle
True Blue Farmgirl
1675 Posts
Megan
Paint Lick
KY
USA
1675 Posts |
Posted - Oct 07 2011 : 1:50:30 PM
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I recently succesfully integrated two flocks by keeping one flock in a small cage and putting it closer and closer to the coop, then IN the coop. I also let them all out together for a few days before letting them roost together. They're all fine now!
Farmgirl #2879 :)
Starbucks and sushi to green fried tomatoes and corn pudding-I wouldn't change it for the world.
www.cattleandcupcakes.blogspot.com
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batznthebelfry
True Blue Farmgirl
1257 Posts
Michele
Athol
Ma
USA
1257 Posts |
Posted - Oct 09 2011 : 3:22:45 PM
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7 weeks is quite young to introduce to a flock unless it is separated but can be seen...I recommend either a large cage that fits into the coop that can be carried outside to the run or grass daily so the others get used to seeing it....there will still be some attackes cause its smaller & its new but if all works out they will settle down & accept it...it will be low man on the totem pole & need to be watched until it grows larger & is more sure of itself.....When outside I would put the treats ect that you give to the chickens around the cage so they get used to it being with them...make sure to put some treats inside the cage as well so the chick doesn't beat itself up against the cage trying to get the treats it can't reach...do this daily so there is some sort of interaction with all of them.......after a week or so if all is calm...keep the cage but open the door & see if it will come out....if afraid it can run back in...if being attacked close the door again for it...do this while you are out there though do not open the door & leave....this can be done daily while outside for a bit to see how everyone reacts...once everything is calm you know you don't need the cage, but I do suggest you put the cage back in the coop with the door open so it can sleep in there until it feels safe enough to roost with the others.....Michele'
Chickens rule!
The Old Batz Farm
Hen #2622 |
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hsmommel
True Blue Farmgirl
61 Posts
Melissa
61 Posts |
Posted - Oct 11 2011 : 09:41:23 AM
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We've been taking the chickens outside into the garden daily (except yesterday...don't know about today since I'm sick) and the first day they all ignored each other, Sunday was a different story. There was some pecking exchange but nothing major. I know this one is young, but winter weather is coming and our brooder box isn't large enough to contain the younger one all winter. We are hoping to get them to 'love' each other before the weather gets nasty. I'm hoping I feel up to taking them all out into the garden this afternoon because I don't want any progress that has been made to go away. My rooster has become more accepting, almost herding the other two together, it's my older hen who is being bossy. The ironic thing is, my established two are bantams and the younger one (the new one) is a Buff and is almost as big as the bantams are...and none of them realize the Buff will be bigger than them in the long run. :)
"What you do speaks so loudly I can't hear what you are saying." -- Benjamin Franklin |
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batznthebelfry
True Blue Farmgirl
1257 Posts
Michele
Athol
Ma
USA
1257 Posts |
Posted - Oct 14 2011 : 02:31:05 AM
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glad to hear the chickens are doing well Melissa...I am getting ready to introduce 4 from one coop in the basement to the 7 out in the smaller shop coop....I think they would do better, though they are happy to be all together if possible......plus cleaning 3 coops is getting to be too much for this old hen...lol.....Michele'
Chickens rule!
The Old Batz Farm
Hen #2622 |
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hsmommel
True Blue Farmgirl
61 Posts
Melissa
61 Posts |
Posted - Oct 15 2011 : 06:26:34 AM
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lol Michele and thank you. The weather has not been co-operating the last couple of days (lots of rain) for their supervised playtime, but they arent' attacking each other. I'm really hoping to get them all together before the weather gets really bad. Hoping. If not, we'll have to come up with plan B.
"What you do speaks so loudly I can't hear what you are saying." -- Benjamin Franklin |
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msdoolittle
True Blue Farmgirl
1145 Posts
Amanda
East Texas
USA
1145 Posts |
Posted - Oct 15 2011 : 08:56:18 AM
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I found that if I did introductions as I was feeding them some of their favorite foods (like scratch), they were distracted by the food and the intros went fine. A younger bird just needs to be watched very closely, as the others have said. My flock is a mix of bantams/standards, so size isn't as much as an issue with them as some other flocks. In other words, it is more difficult for them to pick out what's different, lol. Typically, as long as the new birds are about 3/4 the size of everything else in your flock, they're big enough to go into the existing flock. Good luck!
FarmGirl #1390
www.mylittlecountry.wordpress.com |
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Barnyard Buddies: Introducing a young chick to an established coop |
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Introducing a young chick to an established coop
