Can I put different age chickens together In the coop?

[hope524]

I have four six week old chicks and 11 nine week old chicks. Can I put them together inn the coop? Would the bigger ones pick on them? Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Judy]

Probably, but you can try, though I would supervise closely. Usually it's best to have a fence between them for a few weeks and/or til they are all the same size.

 

[SharkmanDan]

I have four six week old chicks and 11 nine week old chicks. Can I put them together inn the coop? Would the bigger ones pick on them? Thanks in advance for your help.

My solution, as described to me here, was to build an "escape hatch" or "chick cave". I took a 10' length of 1/2" hardware cloth, and made a 5 sided cube. Cut two, or three openings barely big enough, for the little ones to get in, but not big enough that the bigger ones can get in. Place it in the cage/coop, with the slightly bigger chicks. Give them a water source, in the chick cave, but no, or very little, food in there. By having no food, they are forced to exit the chick cave, and learn to socialize with the bigger ones, but, as they get picked on, they have a place to go hide, where they can't be pecked. Eventually, the entrances will have to be made a bit bigger, but, hopefully, like with ours, they become socialized enough, that it is no longer a real issue. We wound up removing our chick cave a bit late, only after they were all piling on top of each other in there, and two got crushed at the bottom of the pile. It is going to have to go back in that pen, though, as I have another batch of babies, that are out growing their grow out pen, and it is going to be needed, as our current youngest birds, need more room to grow.

 

[hope524]

Thanks I appreciate the advice. I will definitely try that

 

[gander007]

I mix age groups all the time but how bis of a run do they have ???






They just need room to run and not push up agents each other ...

 

[hope524]

The outside is 8x22 and the coop is 7 1/2x 8 1/2. I think it's big enough. What do you think.

 

[gander007]

The outside is 8x22 and the coop is 7 1/2x 8 1/2. I think it's big enough. What do you think.

Oh ya that should work just fine .......

 

[SharkmanDan]

The New Hampshire Red and the larger White Crested Black Polish, were hatched in mid May. The smaller White Crested Black Polish, and the two Gold Laced Polish, were hatched about 2-3 weeks after that. The rest, were hatched around the 22nd of June. It took them a bit, to get social, but they get along well, now. I have another 21, hatched July 14, that will be going in soon.

 

[hope524]

Ok thanks

 

[donrae]

This picture looks like the Polish are playing Ring around the Rosie