24 week chickens and 15 week chickens

[b16rittany]

This is my first year with having chickens. I'm just wondering when I can move all my chickens together. I have 8 wyandotte that are 24 weeks old and 15 chickens (5 barred rocks,5 ameraucana, and 5 black giants) that are 15 weeks old. Any advice would be very grateful

 

[aart]

How big is your coop and run, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would help here.

Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[Mrs. K]

I would do it soon. When you are adding more to less, more younger new birds to older more birds, it tends to go better.

Change their places, put the young birds into your main coop/run, and put the old girls in where you have the young ones now. This allows the new birds to explore the new area without being chased. Wait a day or two. Do set up 3-4 feeders, and set up mini walls, such as a piece of plywood, a box, a tote so that a bird eating at one station cannot see a bird at another. Have at least 4 hidden, and then with that many birds, I think I would have two out in the open. Adding hideouts, roosts, platforms helps birds get out of sight

Then wait till shortly before dark, and let the old ones back in. I would expect some chasing, but the old ones can only chase so many. The young ones should have it figured out, how to get out of sight. Out of sight, means out of mind for chickens.

But as stated above - a lot of this depends on SPACE. For that many birds, I would want a coop about 8x12. A good size building, and a run to go with it.

Mrs K

 

[b16rittany]

How big is your coop and run, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would help here.

Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

My run is 50ft long and 28ft wide and my coop is 10ft by 10ft

 

[b16rittany]

We have been doing the see but dont touch method since the little one were 7 weeks old and now there 15 week

 

[Mrs. K]

I would really not expect them to have trouble at all.

 

[aart]

Lots of space....might 'clutter' it up a bit.
2 older cockerels.....any younger ones?
Might set up a separate roost in the coop for the youngers.

 

[b16rittany]

Lots of space....might 'clutter' it up a bit.
2 older cockerels.....any younger ones?
Might set up a separate roost in the coop for the youngers.

3 of the older ones are roosters not sure about the younger ones yet will have to post pics and see cuz I cant tell.

 

[aart]

3 of the older ones are roosters not sure about the younger ones yet will have to post pics and see cuz I cant tell.

By 15 weeks it should be pretty obvious.
Any plans to get rid of most or all of them?
As you integrate might be a good time to move them on.