Combining chicks that are 6 weeks apart.

[bmaxim13]

I have three batches of chicks. My first two are 12 and 11 weeks old and have been together since I got them. They are a group of 8, 2 Rhode Island Reds, 2 Easter Eggers, 2 Black Marans, 1 Golden Comet, 1 Americana and they get along great...I haven't seen any issues with them, they all sleep together on the same roost in the coop at night and lay all with each other in the run. I have 4 chicks that are 6 weeks old: 2 Barred Rocks and 2 Starlight Green Eggers (I think one of these may be a rooster). I have them inside a pen inside the run of the others and they do not even bother with them at all, no pecking through the fence. I attempted to put them in with some of the more timid chickens this weekend and it did not go well. Last night I had one of my chickens in there with them that is more comfortable and I can pet her and she didn't even bother with them at all, she was more concerned about getting into the coop with the other chickens.
Am I able to put them together at night in the coop and then during the day separate them still until everyone gets along completely. I am stressed out about putting them together and want to make sure it goes well. Any suggestions or advice I would appreciate! We are going out of town in 3 weeks and I want to make sure they are all together prior to then. Thank you in advance!

 

[Debbie292d]

It's great that you could put them together at night but by day when the bullying starts, separate them. But, when you go out of town, you won't be there to do that. Best case, by the time you leave, somehow they all get along, but in my experience with just silkies, they have to be the same size. So, in a pinch, when we had to move the 5 mos olds to the main coop as winter was coming, they were still smaller than the adults and scared of them, we put a wooden box, like rabbit hutch thing in the corner by the door for them. That way they had a place for cover to hide if need be. The next problem was, they couldn't eat/drink out of the feeders in the coop as the adults wouldn't let them out of that hutch. I'd open the door in the morning and the littles were the first out, and I had their own feeder and water waiting for them outside. Perhaps everyone will just get along by the time you have to leave though.

 

[BastyPutt]

Am I able to put them together at night in the coop and then during the day separate them still until everyone gets along completely. I am stressed out about putting them together and want to make sure it goes well. Any suggestions or advice I would appreciate! We are going out of town in 3 weeks and I want to make sure they are all together prior to then. Thank you in advance!

Here is what we do -

At night there shouldn't be problems. Once a chicken is roosted, they had may as well be glued there. As long as they aren't roosted within pecking range they should be good. HOWEVER, make sure that you open the coop earlier than usual! Maybe 30 mins as long as it won't cause a problem with predators. If they wake up and aren't let out, the smaller ones will be confined with everyone awake and that wouldn't be good.

I have them inside a pen inside the run of the others and they do not even bother with them at all, no pecking through the fence.

this is a really good, thought out strategy that will help the integration in the long run. Nice work.

 

[NatJ]

I have three batches of chicks. My first two are 12 and 11 weeks old and have been together since I got them. They are a group of 8

I have 4 chicks that are 6 weeks old

Having 8 of the older chicks, and only 4 of the younger chicks, makes it doubly hard on the little ones. They are outnumbered as well as being smaller.

Once they are all adults (laying eggs) things will probably settle down a lot. But they are not likely to get along well until then. They may hang out as separate groups, or the big ones may keep trying to chase the littles away. If they have room to get away, that works fine. "Away" can mean distance, or just out of sight. That is why people frequently suggest clutter in the run, so the chicks can go on the other side of something and not be seen by the bigger chicks. Having food and water in several places, out of sight of each other, helps make sure the little ones can also get enough to eat and drink.

We are going out of town in 3 weeks and I want to make sure they are all together prior to then.

I have them inside a pen inside the run of the others and they do not even bother with them at all, no pecking through the fence. I attempted to put them in with some of the more timid chickens this weekend and it did not go well.

Can you have them separated while you are gone? Depending on how the integration goes, that might be easiest and safest for the time that you are not available to supervise or to deal with any problems that may happen.

 

[bmaxim13]

Thank you all for your feedback!!

I opened up the pen that the 6 weeks are in so that they can go out but can also get back in to safety if they need to. I have it opened on two different sides where only the 6 weeks old can fit back in and out while the 11 and 12 week olds cant fit in. They have been going in and out for 2 days, they get chased and pecked sometimes but are able to run back into safety if they need to. Last night I put them in the coop after the bigger ones had already roosted. I put them in a cardboard box that has an opening where they can get in and out but the big ones cannot get into it. The little ones were up moving around the coop this morning when I went out and everyone went outside together. The little ones ran straight into their pen where they have food and water. I am hoping this arrangement works out well for as long as needed until they are about the same size. The SGE are pretty feisty so I am thinking they will hold their own pretty soon haha.

 

[NatJ]

Thank you all for your feedback!!

I opened up the pen that the 6 weeks are in so that they can go out but can also get back in to safety if they need to. I have it opened on two different sides where only the 6 weeks old can fit back in and out while the 11 and 12 week olds cant fit in. They have been going in and out for 2 days, they get chased and pecked sometimes but are able to run back into safety if they need to. Last night I put them in the coop after the bigger ones had already roosted. I put them in a cardboard box that has an opening where they can get in and out but the big ones cannot get into it. The little ones were up moving around the coop this morning when I went out and everyone went outside together. The little ones ran straight into their pen where they have food and water. I am hoping this arrangement works out well for as long as needed until they are about the same size. The SGE are pretty feisty so I am thinking they will hold their own pretty soon haha.

That sounds like a good way to handle it for now!