We have about a dozen laying hens in our coop now. We would like to keep them until our new chicks are big enough to start laying. After the poulets start laying, the old hens will be butchered. In the meantime, I am worried that there will be lots of disharmony when we put the new flock in the old hen house!

The chicks are brand new babies now. When they are old enough to let out of the brooder, how do we handle integrating the two flocks so that the old birds don't pick on the new birds? We live in a cold climate so our flock is in a coop all winter & allowed to free-range in the summer.

Theresa, Young birds and laying hens do not eat the same food. You should divide your coop, so the young birds will have 4-5 months of growing--alone. The older hens may very well do them in--at least the little ones will not be able to eat, drink (different food requirements anyway) or roost and will be harassed. Integration of chickens is not easy and the stress (may lead to disease) isn't worth it. While some people manage--I do not recommend it. CJR

CJR, Thank you for your response. I guess I didn't explain myself well enough - sorry. We DO plan to keep the young chicks separate from the older hens until the younger birds are about ready to start laying. That is the point in time that I am worried about. How do I integrate the two flocks at that time without starting any wars?

Theresa, If you can divide your coop with wire, the birds will be seeing each other for some months, the conflict will be much less violent, with thepeck order established rather soon. Just watch for the shy one or a young bird that stays "hidden". Sometimes if there is only one "bullying" hen, she can be removed for a "time out" and when returned may have lost her top of the peck order--even 2 "time outs" mays be necessary. I think you will manage the integration all right at about 5 months,or when your pullets start to lay. Good luck, CJR

to CJR:
may i ask what is the average age a chick can be turned out into the coop? i have asked this question in a different forum here at the coop w/no reply. the only chickens i have right now are a pair of B.B.Red bantams. but i have , as you know, alot of Production Red chicks.

anyone may reply to this question.

thank you,
krumm

With chickens SIZE carries power, so if you put growing large breed birds with bantams, they will usually get along okay, but younger birds put with any breed of older birds is risky!!! Personally, I never do it! I keep 10 pens of birds, and they do okay when they are outside, but would be HORRID if they go in the wrong pen when they come in. (They don't stay in a wrong pen very long--"remember" their own and get to it quickly). Actually, most people seem to integrate their young birds with older ones by placing them in a pen within the area the older birds for a few day before releasing them. It is important that a new set of feeders and waterers be available for the young ones--or they will be underfed. Also, because of feed requirements for young birds, they should not be placed with birds being fed layer rations, nor should laying hens be eating medicated starter ration. Every situation is different according to your housing arrangements or free range and poultry yard. So you will have to work it out, but do protect the youngsters, who can suffer serious injury or death by older chickens! CJR

I have 6 chicks 6 weeks old. They have been together all the time and get along great,so far. I have them in a coop,but I let them out in the yard for a few hours a day. They eat all day long and they love bread and rice from my hand. The thing is they don't seem to be eating their chick food very much. Is it alright to let them out to find their own food? JJ

If you feed kids candy, they don't eat real food as well. So just feed the fun stuff when you want them to come in--and not too much of it. They are very young to be out grazing very much. They will fill up on grass and inert things, so keep them cooped enough to eat their chick food--that's important for their growth and maturity. As they get older, they can be out longer, but while finding their own food is what chickens do, if we want them to develop properly and be good layers for several years, their well balanced feeds should be the main part of their diet. CJR

Thank you CJR, the chicks love being outside and I couldn't stop them from eating. That's all they do. I feel bad keeping them cooped up. But I'll limit there time outside. JJ

Should you feed new chicks reg. chick starter or medicated chick starter?

It's your choice. I always use medicated Start & Grow until the pullet start laying. And I have no disease!!! CJR

To Cjeanr (or a similarly experienced breeder)
We have one rooster and one laying hen which were hatched at the same time. We recently introduced seven pullets of various breeds. They are about three months old. The birds free range during the day (Southern Calif.) and are in a coop at night. They seem to get along fine during the day, but as dusk approaches the rooster will attack one of the young ones as if to kill it unless we chase it off. Any explanation or suggestion? This is our first trip to the coop.

The Smiths

Doug and Bobbi, Chickens of different ages very rarely get along, unless "free range", as yours do--the pullets can keep out of the way-- lots of room (and then they do not have to get along, do they?) Your very best scenario would be to pen the hen and rooster separately (day and night) until the pullets are about 5-6 months old--that's not too much longer. They should be eating different feeds, anyway. "Start and Grow" for the pullets, Laying ration for the cock and hen. If you cannot do this, you are in for abuse of the pullets, which can delay their maturity. Explaination? The cock does not like birds he cannot mate with and doesn't want them to disturb his present mate. Hope you can work it out--good luck.CJR

Cjeanr,

Thanks for the info.! We'll keep you posted on the progress of our flock.

Doug & Bobbi

I have 13 large breed chicks of different breeds and both sexes. The chicks are 3 weeks old. It is now July in New Jersey (i.e. our mean temperature is about 85/88 degrees). Can I put these chicks in a confined coop? Should I set up the heat lamp in the interior portion of their coop? Can I give them access to the outside run of their coop? Help!?!?

Lupinetti, If nights are not really cool, you shouldn't need a light for heat for your chicks, but you can tell if their sleeping pile is too crowded (they are then showing they are cold) --or if they are just nicely together to be warm and "safe". if temperatures remain so warm. They can be in a coop, if no drafts and they have a "warm" corner to sleep, maybe bedded with nice dry shavings. They are a little young to go outside much--they should first be well feathered, start with an hour or so and extend the time , so that by 8 weeks, they should be enjoying the outside during the day. Coop them at night. Be sure they always have access to food and water. CJR

To Cjeanr; What is the best bedding material for a coop run? I have been using straw, but can you use pine needles or mulch? I have learned so much from reading everyones questions and the answers. You in particular seem to have a great deal of knowledge and experience. Thanks for helping.

Jeanne, Just depends on what is available to you. I don't like straw, as it will get mouldy when wet and is hard to rake out when it is wet. Pine needles are okay, and mulch (hopefully, no spray residues in the material) is dessert to chickens. They love to scratch in it, worms love it and chickens love worms, and they eat lots of mulch. (and knowledge?-that's not much-- only what I have learned from years and years mainly in just one location--things are different in other areas of the country--I don't know if I could cope with the HOT/DRY and HOT/HUMID of other areas???Snakes? Ticks? Fowl Pox? ????not for me!) But after no longer free ranging my birds, I now have my poultry runs with green grass--well scratched and cultivated dirt along the fence lines, and with nice deep dust holes!. But I only keep one breeding pair, trios, or 4somes in each run, so it is never bare. (I also have moveable pens which hold 6-8 adult bantams, and up to 25 chicks--on grass with roosts and hanging feeders that move with the pens.) So I can get 30-50 birds on grass each day. I mow the grass each week and water it overnight during the driest season to keep it green. They are never out in rain or snow, so their inside pens are dry and clean, also. The number of birds you keep in the run will determine what you bed it with--if anything. You can tip your grass clippings in (if you don't "Weed and Feed" your lawn), and they love to eat and scratch that around. The important thing is to keep it, so the bedding is deep enough to scratch about, and the droppings dry quickly and are broken down, so you do not have smell or flies. Not always easy, but possible!. Good luck, CJR

PS. I have never clipped wings, only know what I have read--always let someone who has experience with it, answer questions like that. Theirs will be a better one!.CJR

Cjeanr, please bear with me as this may be a dumb question, but am confused as to the coop/run area. The pens you have that are green grass, how do you keep critters from digging under? Also, does this run have a covered top{solid} for protection from rain? Are roosts kept in the house itself? I have a backyard tempory set-up and 2 or 3 chickens at most.I need this to look as nice as possible and still be functional, maybe asking too much. One chick is Buff Brahma and other at this point will probably be a Rhode Is. Red. {lost my other Brahma, and as you stated before he would become a pestie, he sure has! Scratches at my door for me to come out. Husband doesn't think that is cute at all. I realize from reading here that free-ranging is bad when young, but is it bad later as well? I didn't think there was any place to live that was not hot/humid, with ticks and those nasty mosquitos! Thanks. By the way, other than being good layers what are Rhode Is. Reds like? My only choice at this point.

Jeanne, My birds are never out when it is raining or snowing--or the ground is really wet! And since they are never out at night, digging into the pen by varmits is not a problem. Yes, roosts (both day roosts and night roosts), as well as feeders, waterers and nest shelves and boxes are inside the coop and the birds are IN every night. Windows are closed during winter and cold nights, but open daytimes and warm summer nights. 1/2inch hardward cloth (wire) is built right into the window openings, so no varmits can break in at night. There are also small ventilation grills at peak of roof on each end of the house, which can be opened and closed. My best pictures of the poultry yards are not on line, but I will try to send you pictures that might show a little. CJR PS We had a whole heavenly month of June without mosquitoes- now-they have arrived and will be here until frost--end of August-or Sept. It's baby swallow time! And I keep bats, too.

Cjeanr, thanks for the info. Would love to see pictures! Bats? How does one keep bats? In a yard situation would you have to clip wings to keep chickens from flying over fence if they were out for short time? {5 ft. fence} Thanks. Jeanne

To Cjeanr:I'd like to see the pictures of the chicken runs you have. I've got my first chicks that are now about 4 months old. They are 3 Rhode Isl. Reds. I have a small coop with a roost and nesting boxes. A 4x8 yard for them to go out in. My house is new so we don't quite have grass yet....lol. I do not let them out of the coop yet but I want to. How do I know they won't go too far away and that they will come back to their coop? Probably a silly question...but I have never had chickens before or known anyone that does. Anything you can tell me would be appreciated.

Jennifer, My best pictures of the runs are not on line, so I took some more pictures of the runs and sent the film last weekend--soon, will send them directly to you. If you want to let your birds out, do it for the first few times, shortly before you usually feed them some grain--at late afternoon, They will come back for their grain--feed it in the coop, but you might have to ease them into the coop the first time or 2. They may not even want to go out the first time! But shortly, they will enjoy it.!! They will want to dig and dust first thing, if you don't have grass yet--a real seaside resort for chickens! Just plan to spend time getting them in the first time (maybe not?) CJR

Jeanne and Jennifer, Am sending a couple of pictures of 3 of the poultry runs that came on line today--directly to each of you. Wouldn't know how or if pictures can be forwarded here?? Will give you an idea. CJR

Daer Cjeanr:
Our family just moved to a farm in MD and purchased 6 chicks and one rooster.They are about 3-4 weeks old (still have down, but some feathers too). I keep them in a galvanized tub (2X3 ft) with pine shavings on the bottom. I noticed the rooster sitting on the water feeder yesterday and I'm thinking he may fly out soon. Should I start building a coop soon? It's very cold outside at night now.Do people keep coops in their basement until it gets warm outside.We have a stable that is currently empty, could we put the coop there?
Thanks, Vikki
P.S.Can you share your coop designs with me?