Dust bathing in the nesting boxes UGH

[Leghornmomma]

It's been almost year now with my original flock of 10 birds.. I recently got 10 more... they were 16 weeks old when I purchased them... the "babies" won't leave the hen house and go into the run with the older chickens.. I did have the older chickens out to free range for a few hours and left the "babies" explore the run while the older ones weren't in there... when I left the older ones back in they seemed fine but the babies quickly went back inside the hen house.. it'll soon be a week and I have never seen the babies in the run yet besides yesterday when the older ones weren't in there.. I can't really close the hen house door because my older hens lay all different hours during the day. Any suggestions on how to get the babies out of the hen house during the day? I tried treats they just have no interest!

 

[nuthatched]

How high are the boxes? What's the bedding?

 

[aart]

It's been almost year now with my original flock of 10 birds.. I recently got 10 more... they were 16 weeks old when I purchased them

How did you integrate the new birds?

 

[Leghornmomma]

How high are the boxes? What's the bedding?

They aren't floor level but they have to hop into them.

 

[Leghornmomma]

It's been almost year now with my original flock of 10 birds.. I recently got 10 more... they were 16 weeks old when I purchased them... the "babies" won't leave the hen house and go into the run with the older chickens.. I did have the older chickens out to free range for a few hours and left the "babies" explore the run while the older ones weren't in there... when I left the older ones back in they seemed fine but the babies quickly went back inside the hen house.. it'll soon be a week and I have never seen the babies in the run yet besides yesterday when the older ones weren't in there.. I can't really close the hen house door because my older hens lay all different hours during the day. Any suggestions on how to get the babies out of the hen house during the day? I tried treats they just have no interest!

I forgot to add in my post... they are dusting bathing in the nesting boxes because they refuse to leave the hen house and go into the run with the older chickens. They are breaking eggs ugh lol

 

[Leghornmomma]

How did you integrate the new birds?

I put everyone in the hen house at night while they were sleeping. It went okay. But they are still scared to go down below with the other chickens... they don't seem to mind the older ones when they come in to lay eggs. No real fighting just your typical pecking trying to sort thru the pecking order I'm sure.

 

[Leghornmomma]

How high are the boxes? What's the bedding?

Not high but still have to hop into them.. the nesting box have shavings in them and the floor of the coop has shavings

 

[nuthatched]

I put everyone in the hen house at night while they were sleeping. It went okay. But they are still scared to go down below with the other chickens... they don't seem to mind the older ones when they come in to lay eggs. No real fighting just your typical pecking trying to sort thru the pecking order I'm sure.

It will take time for them to get used to each other.