When to integrate different ages of chicks?

HenHouse10C

Chirping
Apr 12, 2015
131
3
63
FL Panhandle
I have 6 chicks in a brooder separated by a screen of hardware cloth. Three 2 week old lavender orps and three 4 week old black EE. The 4 week old chicks are close to twice the size of the lavender orps, and I'm pretty sure two of the 4 weekers are roosters too. They've been in the brooder for a week now, able to see each other the whole time. When would be good to remove the divider? How do I know if they're read? II'd hate for the lavenders to get killed by the bigger ones.

This is the setup
400
 
You could try integrating them since they have been able to see each other for such a long time. I would do it at night when they are more relaxed, add one younger chick at a time to the older pen, watch carefully. If you see them getting picked on aggressively reset the chicks and wait until closer in size.
 
Well we integrated them. I did one chick at a time, and it was clear that one of the little cockerels was not happy about it. After 2 days of him making havoc for the rest, I had to cull him. We can't have roosters here anyway so it was bound to happen sooner or later. Everybody gets along great now though!
 

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