Chickens living together

[colejohnson73]

Can 5 week old chicks live with 9 week old pullets. Will they be ok or would there be problems.

 

[Mrs. K]

It depends on size difference in the birds, the bigger the difference the more problems.

It depends on the number of birds, if there are quite a few more of the smaller birds, that is better than more of the bigger birds.

It depends on the size of the set up. If there is a great deal of space, and lots of hide outs and get aways, a one way fence, where the small ones can get through and the bigger ones cannot.

Might work fine, might be a bit of a wreck.

MRs K

 

[Ridgerunner]

Each individual chicken has its own personality. All chickens tend to have a bit of a bully in them, but some are really vicious abut it where others, not so much. Part of it will depend on the individual personalities of your older chicks.

Space has a lot to do with it. More mature chicks or chickens outrank less mature chicks. One way chickens live together in a flock is that when there is conflict, the weaker runs away from the stronger and quickly learn to avoid them. It’s really normal in situations like yours for the less mature to set up as a separate flock to avoid the older as much as they can. They generally need space to avoid.

They are normally OK sharing a coop as long as you don’t leave them locked in there together too long when they are awake. But when you go in there in the morning to let them out you will probably find the younger ones up on the roosts while the younger are on the floor. They are avoiding the older chicks. It also helps to have separate feeding and watering stations so the younger don’t have to confront the older when they need to eat or drink.

What will you actually see when you merge them? No one can give you any guarantees. They may get along great and share even a fairly small space without issues. You may wind up with injured or even dead chicks. As long as you give them some room and you are not unlucky in getting a really dangerous brute in the older chicks, there is a real good chance things will be fine.