Chicks merging

[Chickenslol]

It’s been a while since I’ve gotten onto this website, but I’ve seen a lot of websites saying that you cannot mix chickens that are not the same size. We are mixing four full grown chickens and six 7 week old chicks. We sectioned off a piece of our run and have moved the chicks into a smaller coop. Some of our large chickens do not mind the smaller ones but two of our Austrolorps are pretty aggressive so we will keep them sectioned. The question I’m asking here is, when she me of our other chickens get used to to others, will we be able to move them in even if they’re smaller? As the weather gets colder I want to merge them soon, but I’m so terrified they’d get pecked to death when we move them in

 

[nuthatched]

You can mix difference generations, use the see but don't touch method, just keep them were they can see each other but not get at each other. Keep them like that for at least a week.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I’ve seen a lot of websites saying that you cannot mix chickens that are not the same size. We are mixing four full grown chickens and six 7 week old chicks.

This isn't true at all, but it does require some set up to improve safety for the little ones during integration.

Yours are actually on the old side for "early integration." I start letting my chicks mingle with adults at 2 weeks, by taking advantage of their tiny size to provide chick-size-only panic openings, and they're completely moved into the coop with adults at around 4-5 weeks. Yours, at 7 weeks, they're likely too large to use that method.

So you'll want to do see but not touch, by having them fenced off from the adults for a week or two while still allowing them to see each other most of the day, and then when you're ready to try them together, pick a day when you'll be able to do some supervision, add extra feeders, add some clutter for hiding spots (if you don't already have some) or move existing clutter around, then let them access the adult area. Clutter info: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/ Some harassment is normal - as long as no one is bloodied and chicks can eat and drink, I wouldn't interfere, but do keep an eye on them.

 

[Jabebee13]

^ I agree.

 

[Chickenslol]

You can mix difference generations, use the see but don't touch method, just keep them were they can see each other but not get at each other. Keep them like that for at least a week.

For now that is the method we are using and they’ve been like this for three weeks.