Introducing the baby chickens to the big flock

[Rugerman]

We introduced the new chicks
(Aussie loops) at 20 weeks to the flock like we always do, put them in there in the middle of the night in the henhouse.
This always worked in the past for us… but this time it did not work! They ran out at dusk, and have not been backin!
They’re sleeping by the fence now, which separated them before and we removed their baby henhouse, so they can’t see it.
It has been over a week.
They’re all in the same yard with the older chickens, who don’t seem thrilled they’re around, but they let them eat the some scratch together. I’m still putting out their feed separately, so they get something to eat and have separate water.
Would appreciate others advice on this?
Will they eventually go in the henhouse.
Does it just take time or should we keep putting them back in there in the middle of the night?

 

[nuthatched]

At that age, you need to do a slow introduction on either side of a fence for a few weeks.

 

[Rugerman]

At that age, you need to do a slow introduction on either side of a fence for a few weeks.

Yes, we did that for about five weeks. They’ve been side-by-side with the fence in the middle.

 

[igorsMistress]

It’s really a lot easier to introduce very young chicks than it is those who are big enough to be a resource risk to the others. At this point it may be necessary to take the younger birds back to roost each night after dark and you may need to do it several times before they get the hint. If they’re eating scratch together that’s a good sign, but there will still be some jostling until they work out the pecking order.

 

[Rugerman]

Thank you