Can i mix chicks of different ages

[Legendchicken]

I live to put my chickens oitside in there run when its nice out

I want to free range them but am worried about them being taken by hawks since most of them are bantams


Does anyone no if this is safe or if there is a way to deter hawks?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I live to put my chickens oitside in there run when its nice out

I want to free range them but am worried about them being taken by hawks since most of them are bantams


Does anyone no if this is safe or if there is a way to deter hawks?

Dogs work pretty well...

I free range all including bantams and the silkies people say can't free range...

My first loss was a chick to a crow. Just this past month... first in 6 years. We have just about every predator around. Though I wouldn't say our hawk load is high. It may vary during different seasons. While they are still integrating with the flock they stay in a covered run and usually are free by 4-6 weeks depending on weather. But before I had the cover, I put them out in a little play pen.

I have heard of people being successful using fishing line tied across their run. But no personal experience.

 

[peepsnquacks]

Hi! I'm new to the site and new to chicks as well! Right now I have a brooder with three Americaunas, and three Silver laced Wyandotes, (all 3-4 weeks old, can't remember when we got them!) another brooder with 11 newborn bantams.
In my outside coop, I have 6 one month old ducklings, (Pekins) and in the same coop, two small production reds, a Barred Rock Plymouth, a very large (we call it the Hulk) ISA Brown, and we just tossed in 6 three or four week old Leghorns. They are in an outdoor coop, 6x8 floor area, about 4 ft tall, hoop coop.

I think, in my experience, as long as they have enough space and enough feeders and waterers, they will all be fine. Ours seem to "self segregate" with on occasion the tiny Leghorns cuddling up to the huge ducks (I guess because they are all fuzzy and yellow?? lol) But mostly each group keeps to themselves. So the only time I wouldn't recommend mixing really large with really small is in a small space where they can't get away from each other, or in the case of really aggressive chicks.

In our Bantam brooder, a few are very very small, and yet it is one of the larger babies that is getting pecked at. We have done some things to try to discourage this, giving them things to scratch and peck at to eat, and making sure there are hiding places here and there.

Outdoor coop has a one gallon waterer, a 3 and a half gallon waterer, and two galvanized long feeders with the holes. I make sure that there is a feeder and waterer on each end of the coop. Then scratch is tossed down for the larger chickens. When I dump the old food from the feeders, I put it in a pile to keep the ducks occupied (they can and will eat anything!!) and then the chicks can eat without being bullied by ducks.

Also, they are all let out when we are home, sitting next to them. They are beginning to go farther and farther from the coop, but not by much. They stay very nearby!! The ducks swim in a big pool everyday. So far the Leghorns will not venture out of the coop, even with the door wide open for an hour. It seems they know they are not big enough yet!!

Have lots of cats also and two donkeys, all who leave the birds alone. As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure they are ALL terrified of the ducks, which is hilarious to watch.

Hope this helps you....We are also being super careful with our Bantams, making mash feed, adding a bit of honey to it, medicated feed, little organic apple cider in the water...they are a little fragile as newborns, and we've lost two....so upped the care a lot. (as compared to all our other birds)

Good luck with your new babies!!! (As you can see, I could talk chicken all day....having a BLAST taking care of all these new babies!!!)

Many Blessings!!!
PeepsNQuacks (Jennifer)

 

[SmColorInDaPan]

The Size Difference after only a week, blows me away! The Leghorns are double the size of the Browns! Only a couple weeks OLD?! Wow.

When I looked in on the 2 week olds, earlier, found each of What TSC calls 1 Brown Pullet snuggled up with 2 leghorns, Either end of the trough.

The five to 6 week old are in a chain link pen with whatever covering, I could gather. 2 straw lined boxes inside. We're below freezing today and they seem fine. I held a couple so they learn I'm not the bad guy.

 

[SmColorInDaPan]

Oh, Took care of the Rooster. when gathering the older chicks to put in the extension pen, he attacked.
Missing nose pad on my glasses, usual cuts, bruises, needed a single stitch.
I was too Po'd to bother with his meat. Hope snotty folks down the road 'enjoy' his scent.....

 

[peepsnquacks]

We are so lucky, where we live....surrounded by acres and acres of cattle and goats...We have four acres...and neighbors on other side have chickens and roosters and a horse and dogs.....We have cats, donkeys who bray at anything weird (we moved a chair once from across the yard and they brayed every time they passed it) and now all the fuzzies. Soooo happy to have neighbors who love animals and we all get along perfectly!!!

Love living in the country, do not like the 30 minute drive into town...hahaha.

xoxox
PeepsNQuacks

 

[rutonski]

I have 4 chicks that will be 4 weeks on Monday and will be hatching more on Monday. With the second set being 4 weeks older than the first set, will I be able to put them together once the youngest ones are about 3 weeks? They will be 3 weeks and 7 weeks.

Thanks

 

[lazy gardener]

I would put them together when the second set comes off heat.

 

[peepsnquacks]

I would put them together when the second set comes off heat.

Yep, I agree with that. Once the new hatchlings have a little growth on them, they will be fine with the older kiddos. And once they don't need heat anymore, then you won't have to worry about your older chicks getting too warm, or having to adjust to heat when they've already been off of it, etc.

If you have room in whatever type brooder you are using (I use rubbermaid bins, with no lids, inside the house. Once they can fly out of the bin, they are "graduated" to outside coop with other chickens and the quacky ducks!) but.....back to the point....if there's enough room in the brooder to fit two small feeders and two small waterers, put one on each end. This way you won't have bigger chicks bullying younger babies for food. If you can't, it should still be fine, they will figure it out and just take turns if they have to. I've done it both ways.

Hope this helps!!

xoxoxo
PeepsnQuacks

 

[Izzychicky]

My chicks jump out of the brooder and onto my lap it's ADORABLE!