Integration

[Rosieposie6]

Howdy I have some questions about integration!
I have a group of 9 week old pullets and 6 week old pullets. They weren’t raised together. How can I integrate them together? Is is the same as introducing them to adults?
I know when it’s an older flock it’s a slow process but with the pullets only a few weeks apart how would that work? Does it take as long?

 

[Starrponies]

I would put them next to each other for at least a few days. But without hormones flowing it could be easier. I've never done this. But would think after a few days you could do short visits together in neutral pen and if it goes well just keep them together. I had one chick same age given to me weeks after I got the first 7. I just threw it in and everything was fine. But I probably just got lucky!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Since they're so young you might be able to get away with just putting them together (though I'd supervise for the first meeting) or fast track with a shorter see but no touch period (like a few days up to a week). It shouldn't take nearly as long to put pre-teen chicks together vs older chicks or adults.

 

[Ridgerunner]

with the pullets only a few weeks apart how would that work? Does it take as long?

You never know until you try. It could be as easy as putting them together or it could take time and effort. As always, the more room they have the more likely it is to be easy.

Even when they are adults it is not always hard. A lot depends on the individual personality of the chickens involved. Some are so laid back toward other chickens that integration is easy. Others can be a real terror. You cannot predict how they will interact with a new chicken based on how they interact with the current flock. The meekest mildest hen can become a brute. It's a try it and see.

The other really important part is how much room they have. I think that is the true source of most of the horror stories about integration you read about on here though sometimes it is the personality of the individual chickens. It is not about square feet per chicken. It is about how well can a chicken that needs to run away can get away or just avoid the bully to start with. That means they need some distance and places to hide under, behind, or above (what we call clutter). What I typically see is that when they are first together the younger or weaker try to approach the stronger and get pecked. They very quickly learn to keep their distance, to avoid the stronger. They form a sub-flock, peacefully coexisting as long as they keep their distance. It helps a lot if they have widely separated feeders and waterers so they can eat and drink without challenging the stronger. It's not always like this. Sometimes they mingle a lot, even chicks with adult hens. But it usually is sub-flocks.

Don't forget about nighttime. It is possible your two groups will be able to sleep together, it's even possible some of the older will mother the younger. But mine tend to not sleep together, keeping their distance at night as well as during the day.

What do your facilities look like? How big in feet or meters are your coop(s) and run(s)? How many chicks do you have in each group? Photos of your facilities could really help We might spot something specific to comment on. Without knowing anything about your facilities I like Rosemarythyme's generic suggestions. It's how I'd go about it.

 

[Rosieposie6]

Here’s a picture of my run it’s pretty big sorry there’s crap everywhere right now looks messy! They don’t go in the coop it’s connected to the run thou that side is for the adult hens. So far everyone is doing ok they all look alike so I think they are confused haha

 

[rosemarythyme]

Here’s a picture of my run it’s pretty big sorry there’s crap everywhere right now looks messy! They don’t go in the coop it’s connected to the run thou that side is for the adult hens. So far everyone is doing ok they all look alike so I think they are confused haha

Having extra junk all over is actually helpful during integration, as are the extra feeders and waterers. So don't feel like you need to clean it up, but do make sure there's no spots where a younger bird can get trapped and cornered and left with no way out.