Need integration help

[Rick&Chris]

Sorry for the long post, but I need advice … I have 6 hens (6 years old) and a rooster (2 years old). I have 4 littles (9 and 11 weeks old) that I’m integrating. I have a grow out coop in the run, and just removed a crate that was next to it. Integration has been pretty good, however, my rooster and a couple of hens are chasing the littles from the food and water.

Today I came home and the littles were in the little enclosed portion of the grow out coop, panting (it’s 80° today). I kicked out the elders and the littles are drinking like crazy. How can I help?

I’m going away for a few days mid-May and I’m nervous for them . Should I put the crate back in before I go away to give them their own space and access to food and water? Or do you think that they will be integrated in 2 1/2 weeks?

Picture of my set up and a panoramic of the area. I have 3 feeding areas and 3 waterers shown where the red arrows are.

6 years and still learning!! Thank you in advance, chicken experts!!!

 

[sourland]

Place the feed and water stations further away from one another and block so that they are not visible from other locations. A creep feeder/water station would be a really good solution.

 

[Rick&Chris]

Place the feed and water stations further away from one another and block so that they are not visible from other locations. A creep feeder/water station would be a really good solution.

I tried something similar. The big ones squeezed in. None of the elders use the feeder/waterer to the left (the original setup they’ve been using for years). When I had a feeder in the little coop, the big ones went in there to eat chasing the littles out.