Auto door randomly closing during the day

[lotz2612]

How long should I leave it until I introduce my new chicks into the main coup? How old should they be?

 

How should I do it? gradually or should I just check them in there...so to speak!

[Roobaloo]

I was always told not to introduce them until they were Point of lay (minimum of 18 weeks)...and then to do gradual introductions as you would with any new hens.

[lotz2612]

In that case...what am I meant to do with them for 18weeks lol? Would I need to seperate them off from the others, but within the same enclosure?

[Roobaloo]

When mine come off the heat, I plan to have them in their own run away from the big girls but within sight...then I plan to divide the WIR so they're closer but not together...then start free ranging them together in the evenings when they're a bit older and bigger.

 

I wouldn't leave them together in the run until the babes were point of lay otherwise they may not be strong enough to defend themselves from the big girls.

[lotz2612]

Nice...so 18weeks...is that the same for all bantams?

[Roobaloo]

I think it's fairly standard for all hens... I've never been told differently.

 

So long as the babies are about the same size as the adults, they should stand a chance to hold their own or escape. Then just take it gently as you would any other intro!!

[jellykelly]

I've always read that close to POL is the time to introduce, however on other forums I have read that some just let all of the chickens and chicks get on with things.

 

I'm playing things by ear at my end. My chicks are nearly six weeks old and still with mum. Initially chicks and broody were in a seperate house and run away from the main walk in run. Last week I sectioned off part of the walk in run and placed chicks and broody in there with temporary housing.

Broody has laid me an egg today and is looking keen to rejoin the others. I do have a problem with the chicks escaping though. They keep flying over the partition in with the older girls. I don't know how long one of them was in with the older ones for yesterday before I noticed, but she suffered no ill effects.

 

I might try letting them mix within the WIR for a few minutes at time and gradually build it up, so they may well be together before the 18 weeks - but not a problem if not.

[lotz2612]

To be honest, i haev always hatched my eggs the natural way with a broody before, and have always let my chicks out at about week 10...but that is when they ahve been used to seeing the other chicks as they were kept in an arc but in the main enclosure. This time i have incubated and my brooder is in my house, therefore no interaction with other chickens.

 

Might let them beef up a bit, then maybe week 4/5 (when my other eggs that i'm going to set off next week start in the bator) may put them in the arc in the enclosure, so then at least they can see the other chickens and they can see the chicks.

 

Spose its a bit of trial and error...with hopefully not too many errors!