integrating 5 or 6 wk olds to 4 month olds

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bj taylor

bj taylor

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i have 4 four month old pullets. i have 5 five week olds. i put up chicken wire between them for about 3 wks. i recently opened a little "door" in the chicken wire so the little ones could venture into the big run but the big girls couldn't get into the chick run.

it's gone fairly well. there have been a few squables & one serious intentioned attack, but the bigger ones generally ignore the little ones.
now the big ones belly crawl into the little guys area. they act like they're sure there is something juicy in there that they're not getting.
i'm just hoping things go ok & there won't be any casualties.
i can't figure out how the little ones are ever going to go into the big girl coop. will they just wander in there one night?
 
After mingling with the big girls for a week, the chicks should be ready to move into the coop.

What I do is move them in several hours before sundown, but after the big girls are done laying for the day. Lock them in so the big girls won't disturb them. This will help establish that this is their new home and they belong in it.

At the last minute before dark, let the big girls in. There shouldn't be any fuss, but referee if there is. In the morning the big girls will chase the chicks out. You should make sure the chicks have a secure place they can retreat to where the big girls can't get to them. Their food and water need to be inside so they aren't kept away from food and start suffering from not enough to eat.

You may have to show the babies how to go into the coop for a few nights until they learn to do it on their own. The fact the babies out-number the big girls will be in their favor. But keep a watch over them until you're sure things aren't going to take an ugly turn.
 
I wanted to add some advice about securing the chick safe pen so the big girls can't belly crawl in.

A hens widest point is across the top of the wings (shoulders, if hens can be said to have shoulders). So you need to make the pop holes in the chick pen narrow enough that the hens can't squeeze through, about four inches ought to be adequate so the chicks can zip through at high speed and the big girls can't slip through.

Be sure and place the chick feed out of reach of a hen forcing her head in. I once had a Buff who tried so hard to reach the chick feeder that she got good and stuck, and I had to rescue her. That seemed to cure her, and she quit trying to do it.
 

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