How should I put them together?

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lightchick

lightchick

Crowing
6 Years
Apr 3, 2014
4,586
328
316
Minnesota
I have 4 older chicks and 2 young chicks. I really need them to learn to live together asap.
I was planning on putting them together when the older ones are 13 weeks and the younger ones are 4 weeks. But I haven't gotten the bigger coop built and probably won't be able to finish it in 3 days. So I'm wondering if I could put them together, but just put a cardboard box in the coop with a small enough door that the little ones can get in but the big ones can't. Will that work? If I find a big enough box then I'll put food and water in there so they don't starve or anything because of the big girls chasing them away.
They sort of have been "free ranging" together, but that's more like they are 2 different flocks and the aren't even near each other except when the big girls decide to chase them.
What should I do?
 
Any time you put them together, there will be a pecking order established.
The younger (smaller) ones will tend to be at the bottom of the pecking order.
Provide a safe place for the smaller ones to escape.
Always monitor to make sure none are being pecked to the point of bleeding.
They will eventually get along quite fine.
Don't be afraid of a little pecking; it's just their nature.
 
OK. I'll try it. It's 4 days away from the little ones 4 week birthday. I might put them out early because putting them out early is better then finding poop all over the floor and/or having then attacked by my dogs. They have been jumping out of the brooder lately and I don't know if my dogs are trust worthy. My little dog likes chasing them and barking at them. The big dog ignores them.
 
I have 4 chicks just hatched July 3rd. This is a first for me and I admit I wasn't properly prepared. I separated my 2 hens and Roo to an adjoining whoop coop to let momma hen and babies be alone. That was a fatal error as my whoop coop wasn't predator proof enough and something got in and took my Tillie. So I fashioned a fence partition in the main coop. It's doing its job but mom and babies can't go out into the yard. They can all see each other now. So I'm hoping that this will make integration into the flock better. Well, it's just one Roo and one other hen now that all need to get along. Does anyone have an opinion as to wether this will work?
 

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