Integrating the chicks

Yesterday we got back from our deliveries at lunch time and found that one of the chicks had dug under the gate and was in with the main flock.

There didn’t seem to be any problem and she was sat one side of the wire with the other chick sat next to her on the other side of the wire.

It was tempting to leave her be but we needed to go out at half past one to do a B.B.Q at a school for two hundred people and knew we wouldn’t be back until seven o’clock. I didn’t want to be worrying about what was happening while I was out so I decided to return her to her own side of the run.

I filled the hole under the gate then distracted the main flock with some pieces of apple. I then held open the chicks gate and good as gold in she went.

This did make me think that the chicks were ready for integration though so I decided to put them all together this afternoon after lunch.

I opened up both of the gates and then also lifted the wire and secured it with garden wire at the corner by the patio. I also lifted the wire at the far end of the run and secured that too with garden wire. This means the chicks can’t get trapped in any corners and will always have an escape route.

There was no pecking but the the girls in the main flock would run at the chicks and the chicks would run and find any of the high perches or go on to the table by the bush. I was a bit worried that they would spend all their time hiding and maybe not be eating properly.

By late afternoon though the chicks were eating from their dish on their usual side of the run and the other girls were taking no notice of them.

I also changed all the feeders to growers pellets as the chicks shouldn’t have layers pellets. As some girls are moulting and most are not laying it may actually be quite good for the main flock to have the higher protein growers pellets. Emerald and Toffee are moulting and Amber is growing feathers so this could be helpful to them. Topaz isn’t laying either and only Sparkle and Honey are laying so this is an ideal time for this change.

I decided if the chicks roost in their usual spot on the flower pots I will put them in their own coop as usual but if they roost with main flock I will put them in the main coop and go out at first light tomorrow morning to make sure they are all okay.

I checked on them several times at the time that they usually get into their bedtime positions.

The main flock are in their usual bedtime positions

Amber, Honey and Toffee are on the newest and most favoured perch, Sparkle and Topaz (you can just see her head on the right hand side of Sparkle) are on the cabinet and Emerald as always is on the shoe box.

Peaches really looked like she wanted to join the big girls but Barley just wanted to go to her usual familiar flower pot.

Peaches went to the coop roof

Barley went to her flower pot

Sparkle lets Peaches know she is not welcome on the cabinet

Peaches didn’t know where to go next. The coop roof isn’t high enough to satisfy her but the next step is the top of the cabinet and Sparkle was making it clear that she was not welcome there.

Peaches gives up for now and leaves the coop roof and  goes to the wooden block.

Peaches then drinks from the big girl’s water

Peaches makes it to the high perch

Peaches once again went to the coop roof then briefly to the cabinet before being chased off and then found the high perch.

Peaches isn’t sure about her position here

Peaches was very unsettled here. I think she is used to a flatter roosting position and this perch is quite thick for her feet to hold on to. She didn’t seem at all happy and kept returning to the cabinet.

I wanted to get a shot of her on the cabinet but she was chased off so quickly that this was the shot that I got.

Peaches is chased from the cabinet by Sparkle

Peaches was then marching up and down the high perch looking stressed. She didn’t want to stay there but didn’t know how to leave.

I decided to try to help her and although I wasn’t sure if she would let me lift her down I felt I had to try. I picked her up (easily much to my surprise) and took her to the flower pots. I put her on the flower pot next to Barley.

I wasn’t sure if she would stay there but she settled and started to preen. I checked back half an hour later and both chicks were settled happily together on their flower pot as usual.

I have been putting the girls in the coop at ten o’clock but as it was really hot today I decided to leave it until eleven o’clock when it was cool.

I lifted the chicks from their flower pots and put them in their little coop then lifted the other girls to the main coop with ease.

I will be out at five o’clock in the morning to let the chicks out as usual and if they all seem happy together I will leave them together.