Combining 4 week olds with 7 week olds

[NewbieChicklet]

I have 4 chicks -- two are 4 weeks old and the other two are 7 weeks old. We live in the Bay Area in California, so the older ones are already outside in the chicken run + coop. I've been letting the younger ones "visit" the chicken run during the day for about 3 days. The older chicks tolerate the younger ones, chasing them around occasionally but nobody has gotten hurt. So - my question is: am I doing this right? Should they be visiting in this way? Will the older ones become more accepting over time? At some point when weather permits or they have full feathering do I try to let the younger chicks stay in the coop at night or will the older ones attack? Any other advice for bringing these groups together? I tried to combine them when they were younger and all in the brooder but the older ones were too aggressive. Thanks for any advice.

 

[Chicalina]

I would do it as soon as possible before they get all teenagery. can you put a wire divider down the coop and section off the run? they need to see each other constantly not just visit, because visits are like having a new lot appear every day. Chickens don't have very good memories. My adult hens forget their own flock sister if I separate one for a couple of days.

a few days of mixing but not touching should do the trick. I'm currently doing this and the older hens just seem unbothered by the little chicks the other side of the wire and are more interested in their food they can see.

by wire I mean netting/hardware cloth as you call it.

 

[InterestingChickens]

Like Chicalina said make sure they see each other at least once a day (through a wire fence). This way when it is time for the 4 week old chicks to move into the coup they will be used to each other.

 

[MommyGirl]

I kinda did the same thing had older babies already in coop and run. Then I brought in younger babies in coop in a dog crate til they got use to each other. Then I turned them loose with others. Worked fine. Just minor pecking order stuff going on.

 

[NewbieChicklet]

Thank you for all the responses! I will add them to the run during the days but keep them separated from the big chicks by a fence of sorts. And then maybe I will add them in a crate to the coop at night for a week before setting them free.