Combining 2 ages of chicks?

[kelly824]

I have 5 9-week-old chicks, and 2 5-week-old chicks. They have been grazing in a small fenced in area together for about 2 weeks. The big ones peck at the little ones occasionally, but not badly, and each group seems to mind their own business. Last night was the first night the little chicks spent outside in the coop (it's 65 at night in Louisiana). They seemed to do ok. Tonight they were squawking at the back door before it got dark, but I put them in the coop with the big chickens again, and they kept squawking like crazy and trying to get out. They are quiet now, sleeping on the bottom level, while the big chicks are "upstairs". I am worried because they did not want to go back in with the bigger chicks. Do you think they are getting picked on too much? They look fine, and I watched for a few minutes but the big chicks ignored them. Does everyone just need to adjust to each other? It's been 2 weeks together (during the day anyway) and I still have 1 flock of 5 and 1 of 2. How do I get them to become one flock of 7?? It's my first chickens!

Kelly

 

[Den in Penn]

Time will make it work at this point. It will take time for the young ones to know the coop is home and not want to come in. It will take time for them to figure out to roost upstairs. Once they roost together you can call them one flock. I would say that if the older ones are mostly ignoring the younger ones its good. You'll always have different groups within your flock.

 

[jak2002003]

This is normal behaviour. At that age the younger ones will roost on the floor and huddle together. They are not used to sleeping in the coop right now and it will take a few more days.

You can tell if they are getting picked on too much if they start to show areas of missing feathers on their heads or necks. As long as they have plenty of space you should not have to worry.

As they are more likely to fight over things like food, provide a few separate food containers and water pots.