6 week old chicks not getting along with 2ish week old chicks.

[corthendo]

So I have 5, 6 week old chicks and they have been out in the coop for 2 weeks. We got 3 baby girls because we think a couple are Roos and didn’t want to end up with only 2-3. I took the babies outside for the first time today. My husband didn’t wait for me to get the dog kennel I wanted to put them in and just let them all out together. The big chicks immediately started pecking them and not being nice. So we put the chicks in the kennel and the big chicks were still pecking at them if they got close to the edge so we put them in the run so they were sitting next to eachother. Any recommendations or did I do the wrong thing by getting more :/

 

[FC16]

They will just have to be separate for a while. There is fair difference in size between a 2 week old and 6 week old chick and it would have been a bit unlikely for them to have got on. You’ll be able to integrate them eventually. You could either wait until they’re of a similar size, or I’d recommend keeping them in places where they can see each other but are separated by a fence, if possible. This way they will be able to get used to each other and you’ll probably be able to integrate them a lot sooner.

 

[RisingPhoenixFarms]

Here's what has worked for me;

I leave them in the brooder until about 4-6 weeks. Then i take them outside and i do 1 week of see but don't touch. On the 2nd week i let them free range together (supervised) for short amounts of time each day, getting longer as the week goes on. Then i judge how things are going. Usually by this time they are fine to be left all together. If not then i continue the free range time together until they are all ready.

Some pecking is to be expected as they establish themselves in the flock. I only worry if the older ones are incessantly chasing and pecking, or if the pecking looks like it is going to result in a serious injury.

Size of the two separate mini flocks being introduced does make a difference in how well introductions go and make take a little longer the bigger the size difference.

 

[corthendo]

They will just have to be separate for a while. There is fair difference in size between a 2 week old and 6 week old chick and it would have been a bit unlikely for them to have got on. You’ll be able to integrate them eventually. You could either wait until they’re of a similar size, or I’d recommend keeping them in places where they can see each other but are separated by a fence, if possible. This way they will be able to get used to each other and you’ll probably be able to integrate them a lot sooner.

My plan was to keep taking them outside daily and see how it goes. I just thought the big chicks were young enough I wouldn’t have a problem

 

[corthendo]

Here's what has worked for me;

I leave them in the brooder until about 4-6 weeks. Then i take them outside and i do 1 week of see but don't touch. On the 2nd week i let them free range together (supervised) for short amounts of time each day, getting longer as the week goes on. Then i judge how things are going. Usually by this time they are fine to be left all together. If not then i continue the free range time together until they are all ready.

Some pecking is to be expected as they establish themselves in the flock. I only worry if the older ones are incessantly chasing and pecking, or if the pecking looks like it is going to result in a serious injury.

Size of the two separate mini flocks being introduced does make a difference in how well introductions go and make take a little longer the bigger the size difference.

So I should wait a couple more weeks until see but don’t touch? My big chicks went into the coop at 4 weeks and I didn't have any issues. I can put the dog kennel in another area so the chicks can still have time outside and they won’t see each other.

 

[RisingPhoenixFarms]

So I should wait a couple more weeks until see but don’t touch? My big chicks went into the coop at 4 weeks and I didn't have any issues. I can put the dog kennel in another area so the chicks can still have time outside and they won’t see each other.

You don't necessarily have to keep them in the brooder that long. I usually judge by outside nighttime temperature and feathering to determine if they are ready to be outside. Your 4 week olds probably went in just fine since they had no competition but introducing birds to one another is a whole new ball game.

I was just sharing what worked for me. You can modify it for what works best for you. However, in my opinion see but not touch is a very important step of the process. Bigger chickens, no matter what age, can kill smaller ones.

 

[NatJ]

So I should wait a couple more weeks until see but don’t touch? My big chicks went into the coop at 4 weeks and I didn't have any issues. I can put the dog kennel in another area so the chicks can still have time outside and they won’t see each other.

It is fine to start see-no-touch at an earlier age, and have it last longer. It will not cause any problems for the chickens. Starting earlier or later is just a matter of what is convenient for the people.

If you are planning to carry chicks outside every day, then starting it now will be easy for you.

If you want to keep the young ones in the brooder until they are mature enough to go out once and stay there, so you do not have to mess with taking them outside every morning and back every evening, that is also fine. Just start the see-no-touch when you are ready to take them out.

 

[corthendo]

It is fine to start see-no-touch at an earlier age, and have it last longer. It will not cause any problems for the chickens. Starting earlier or later is just a matter of what is convenient for the people.

If you are planning to carry chicks outside every day, then starting it now will be easy for you.

If you want to keep the young ones in the brooder until they are mature enough to go out once and stay there, so you do not have to mess with taking them outside every morning and back every evening, that is also fine. Just start the see-no-touch when you are ready to take them out.

They really don’t seem very content in the brooder, so I am just wanting to give them the stimulation and experience of being outside. I’ve still continued see but don’t touch. There’s still some pecking going on, it’s been about a week of this. So I think I’ll do another week since they are still so much smaller.

 

[PoppasGrill]

They really don’t seem very content in the brooder, so I am just wanting to give them the stimulation and experience of being outside. I’ve still continued see but don’t touch. There’s still some pecking going on, it’s been about a week of this. So I think I’ll do another week since they are still so much smaller.

Not sure if I missed it or not so I’ll ask, are the chicks still with Momma? I know our young chicks are fine integrating if the momma is there to tell the bigger hens to back off. We bought chicks and put them with a brooding hen , she took them in as her own and protects them.
As far as our chickens go , we introduced some a couple weeks apart with minor issues until a pecking order, pun intended, is established.

 

[corthendo]

Not sure if I missed it or not so I’ll ask, are the chicks still with Momma? I know our young chicks are fine integrating if the momma is there to tell the bigger hens to back off. We bought chicks and put them with a brooding hen , she took them in as her own and protects them.
As far as our chickens go , we introduced some a couple weeks apart with minor issues until a pecking order, pun intended, is established.

They are 20 and 17 weeks old now lol. They are good with each other.