My main issue with keeping them all together is the feed. All the adult birds lovelovelove the chick starter and will gobble it up any time they can get their beaks near it. But it's more expensive than the layer feed, and doesn't give them what they need for laying. And then the chicks, perversely, will go for the layer pellets when they can, which has more calcium than is good for their little systems.
chick feed!
layer feed!
