Babies and even bigger babies sleeping together

[pbjmaker]

I have two 12 week old (RIR and a Polish X(?)) who share a coop with (9) 3 week olds (one EE the rest D'Uccle). The babies are in a rabbit cage in the coop so they can see each other but be protected. This has been the arrangement for about 1 week. So far - So good.
Well tonight my daughter put the babies away but forgot to close the hatch on the rabbit cage - so of course they all got out into the main part of the coop. In the mean time the big kids put themselves to bed. When I went out there to check on things - everyone was actually behaving.

I put the little ones back in the cage just in case - but do you think the good behavior was because it was dark out or do you think they would be ok without the cage? I know a lot of people say wait until they are at least 16 weeks - but the big kids have been aware and able to see the babies since they were one week.

Sorry for the long explanation but would value opinions.

Thanks

 

[porteryork]

I too was afraid to mix them up. I have 2 older girls that are several years old and they are in with my 16 to 22 month olds. Then I have the babies, 6 of them from 6 weeks to 12 weeks. We had them in a dog crate in the coop so everybody could see each other but they were seperate. Last week we started leaving the door open to the dog crate during the day when we could check on everyone. Then over the weekend we started leaving the door open all the time. The babies stayed around the coop and in the crate until Wed of this week. Now they are running around and today were hanging around the run just like the big girls.

I think it helps that there are 6 babies to huddle together. They sleep together seperately from the big girls but are gradually getting closer to the roost with the big girls. I still leave the crate open they run and hide in it every now and then.

Okay, so that is my long story......hope that helps. I think yours will be just fine!

 

[seminolewind]

How cute. I'm thinking of trying the same thing. I have 2-4 week olds, 3-3week olds, and now, 2-1 week olds. Eventually.
But then there's the cute thing. I don't know if you've heard of my roo Ugly Eddy. He was in that ugly chicken contest, and his brother is the head roo. Eddy is at the bottom of the totem pole. Well mom of the 2 month olds has gone back to the flock. The chicks sleep in the run with a dog house and a roost. Ugly Eddy has decided to be their mom, and sleeps on the roost pole with them every night. It's really sweet, and better than getting pecked at and chased all the time.