5 week olds with older hens

[debilorrah]

My fiance cut a hole in the wire between the brooder and the hen house so they could explore. Sotry first: my BO - a big poofy bird if there ever was one, aqueezed herself in the brooder, threw the chicks out and started eating their food. WHAT A PIG!!!

Now the question: do you think the babies will be alright in there? My bo just wants the food, and the others are ignoring them and we have already had two eggs today...

 

[nnbreeder]

Chances are better then good that the older hens will kill the youngsters. One should always wait till close to full size before introducing younger birds to an established flock.

 

[debilorrah]

They have been in a seperated are visible to the older hens for about 8 days now. They aren't strangers to each other, I am just thinking they are too small. The hole is smaller now, so only they can get back in, but I am so paranoid I keep going out there. Fiance and I will close the hole at night....

 

[nnbreeder]

Keep a very close almost constant watch on them for the first few days. Some hens will tolerate youngsters well but most won't.

 

[DouglasPeeps]

Quote:
I have seen this happen as well. This is very good advice.

 

[cmom]

Watch carefully. Good luck.

 

[Mahonri]

I've always thought that they need to be almost 7 to 8 weeks before they should be put together... won't have to worry about that until next year unless all my hens are layers.

 

[crzychicken]

I put my 17 week olds in with my 5 week old just for a few hours a day. The Older ones where fine until the little ones got to close than they would pick at them until the little ones ran off, this only happen a few times and the 5 week olds learned to stay away. But I still won't leave them together unsupervised until the 5 week olds are bigger. I do put them back on their own sides of the fence where they can still see one another.

Jody

 

[debilorrah]

I convinced my beloved that they are too young and we plugged the hole. FUNNY!!! As soon as the wire was secured again, all 6 chicks went over there and all stuck their noses together. "WHERE'D THE HOLE GO???"