Age groups

[Easter Bunny]

Hi, this is my first post and I am new to chickens. I acquired 3 hens for free that are in great health and are about 7 months old. This happend to coincide with my actual chick purchase of 5 chicks of different varieties. I was planning on keeping them separated initially and then while letting them share the yard, join them up later. I am sure with supervision and joining them all together at night that it'd work out. These chicks are about 5 weeks old. The problem is now I have been gifted 3 new chicks a few days old. Now I have 3 age groups and I feel like I in a pickle. How do I put them all together now?!? I have been affected by chicken math and now I need advice on how to manage this. Please help.

 

[cmoore333]

Ohh sounds like me ok what I did, was I put the first set of chicks out, in a small coop and little pin, while the old hens out free ranged, for a few weeks. Then I let the younger ones join them (that seem to keep the picking down to just a few pecks on the head from the older ones then I moved the younger ones into the big coop and then put the youngest group out once again in the smallest coop and small pin.. I now once again have baby's in my living room that will move outside in a few more weeks I've had pretty good luck with getting my chickens to get along, I then tried the same process with my ducks and I thought the older ducks where going to either drown the younger ones or severely hurt them by hitting them on the head with thier bill. After some (what I call by sitting the ducks for several days) the older ones have decided to let the younger ones hang out with them... My next step was then letting my chickens and duck free rage togther....

 

[Easter Bunny]

Thanks, it sounds like what I was going to do too. That reassuring!