10 and 2; 4 down...

HenMasterMatt

Hatching
Jun 27, 2016
2
1
9
Eh. It worked.

Hello all, long time reader, first time poster. Here's the questions I have for you all; and a quick rundown of my situation:

I, at this exact moment, have 5 chickens I bought from Tractor Supply company, which turned out to be Bantams, and 4 of the 5 being roosters. They are currently right about (roughly) 10 weeks old.

I am taking the roosters to a co-op today actually, and have plans to get some new, breed researched (so I actually know what I'm doing this time around), baby chicks this upcoming weekend. Now for my questions, and to bring logic to that title.

1. Can you allow a 10 week old single chick to hang around 1 or 2 week old baby chicks? Going to get Buff Orphingtons and one or two Easter Eggers. (I have a 3.5 year old, so the Easter Eggers will be fun to find the eggs, and the Buff's are I guess real good pet chickens)

2. Since I am now down 4 of the 5 chicks, leaving a single hen, can she stay on her own for a bout a week, or should I keep the one quietest, friendliest of the roosters until I get the new chicks, so she isn't lonely?


Any input is welcomed, thank you!
 
With no hesitation, we intermix the 1 week to 3 week olds, and the 3-8 week olds. Never had a loss, never had to intervene.

10 week old chickens are beginning to understand the whole pecking order concept and might be a bit too mean to others that are smaller. "Size matters" around that age and up. They can learn to tolerate each other but it's a lot of work and potential trauma to both parties.

The single one will need a friend, even if it's temporary.

Good luck!
 
So I kept our friendliest and quietest of the roosters for the time being. But the pullet (Princess FeatherBottom) has spent the last two evenings wandering around making this almost crying noise... you can tell she's responding to the other three roosters being gone. Weird how they pick up on it so strongly.

Got two Easter Egger chicks; about a week old. They are so **** adorbs... I can barely stand it. My 3.5 year old just wants to hold them non-stop.

Going to pick up a couple of Buff Orphingtons this weekend and MAYBE grab a full size Easter Egger from a lady today offloading her amazing coop and run, as well as all her chickens, so that FeatherBottom has a full size hen friend until the chicks are big enough to go outside and I can get rid of the other rooster, and actually get the chickens out of my house. My extra room has become a cardboard-floored poop den of chickenry. It's ridiculous.

Anywho, thanks for the input; I'll have to give a quick final update with photos once the run is up in my yard and FeatherBottom makes her royal way out into the yard.
 

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