Chicks with hens at night?

shodack

Songster
Mar 19, 2015
392
46
121
central NY
I have month old chicks I'd like to put in the coop at night with four year-old hens. Today was their first day in an enclosed area with the hens seeing them. Planning to keep them in sight but caged for a couple more weeks. But can they go in with them at night?
 
I would not put them in with the adult hens un less they were in a cage. If integrated with no protection, the adults might very well kill the young birds.
 
If you choose to have the chicks with the hens at night I would strongly recomend there be a space the chicks can get into but the hens can't.
 
I let mine start to mingle at 5wks old. They still have a nursery area in the coop that the adults can't get into, kind of like a panic room. The first day they were allowed to mingle they all come out of the coop into the general run and as long as they stayed away from the adults they were fine. The adults did not chase them but would peck if they came too close to an adult. They were kind of trapped in the run for the day, I think they didn't realize how to get back into the coop, but they did survive their day outside with the adults. I have not seen them come out to the run the next two days, i think they learned that it's calmer/safer inside where their panic room is close.
 
Since my one adult hen is rather large and very docile I was able to get away with this set-up.


Now that the chicks are showing a preferance for the dog crate I will remove cardboard boxes.
 

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