Combining different aged chicks into one coop

[Scatterknit]

Chicken Math and Spring Fever have left me with 6 chicks from an April hatch, 9 chicks from a May hatch and 15 chicks from a June hatch. And they're all in different coops/brooders. Adding in the coops with the ones I'm keeping separate to breed and my silkie's coop, all told I am running back and forth between 5 coops and a brooder.

I'd like to throw all of the April, May and June chicks together into one big coop (that is currently empty) when the June chicks are a little bigger. It's nice and roomy and has some places to hide - what do you think? I know there will be some bullying so I thought I would try moving the June chicks in first to "claim" the territory and then moving in the bigger April and May chicks in a few days later.

Thoughts? Has anyone tried this before or is there a better way to do this? If this isn't a terrible idea, how old should the June chicks be before I expose them to the "big kids"?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[Mrs. K]

I have never tried this, but...

I think it will work because your largest number of chicks,are your smallest, youngest birds. Give them home court advantage, hide outs, and a few extra feed and water spots, and I would not anticipate a lot of problems. There will be skirmishes, but as long as there is enough space I would expect it to work.

I do think I would wait til those June girls were 5-8 weeks old.

Mrs k

 

[aart]

Sounds like a pretty good plan.

How big (feet by feet) is the 'roomy' coop?
Is there a run too?
That may help......as well as multiple food/water station in the coop and the run.

Let us know how it goes...Best of cLuck to ya!