Combining youngsters

[Rt66Kix]

I have 3 chicks that are about 6 months old, and 2 others that are 2 months old. Right now the older ones are in a separate chicken tractor, and the 2-month-olds are in a very large wire dog crate in the hen house. I'd like to put the younger ones in the chicken tractor with the bigger ones.

Is the size and age difference too great? I can put an upsidedown cardboard box that is weighted down so the young ones have a cave to escape from the bigger ones if necessary. Should I do this at night, or first thing in the morning?

Thanks!

 

[Rt66Kix]

Another picture of the older chicks

 

[chub_the_chick]

Hey! I've personally never had trouble mixing younger groups with older ones. But it really depends on the behavior of the older group. I would recommend doing it at night. Also its normal for them to establish a pecking order so unless they are violently attacking the younger chicks I wouldn't intervene.

 

[Mrs. K]

I would let the big ones out of the set up for the afternoon. Then let the chicks out IN the set up. This allows the chicks to explore the set up, without being chased for their lives. Then I would give the chicks some mock chases, so they find the safety zone. Do make sure the big girls cannot follow them in.

Close to dark, I would let the big ones in. A high powered squirt gun, can be helpful, breaking it up, without separating them. Do this when you are going to be home for a couple of days, and keep a close watch.

Or

You could trade places - put the big girls in the cage, let the young girls run around the run. Then late in the day, let a single bird out. Not the top bird and not the bottom bird. Might keep this arrangement for 2 days, then add one more bird... wait a day or two, add the last one.

Mrs K

 

[3KillerBs]

Here are some useful articles on integration:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop-brooder-and-integration.74591/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/introducing-new-chickens-using-the-“see-but-don’t-touch”-method.67839/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/adding-to-your-flock.47756/

 

[aart]

Right now the older ones are in a separate chicken tractor, and the 2-month-olds are in a very large wire dog crate in the hen house. I'd like to put the younger ones in the chicken tractor with the bigger ones.

How big is the tractor?

Who else is living in the hen house?

 

[centrarchid]

I would start by placing dog crate with younger birds inside within the chicken tractor. Waite a couple days, then rearrange things in tractor and release younger birds leaving dog crate inside. Do release so you have at least an hour to observe. If problems excessive, then re-crate younger birds and repeat.

I normally jumble things up and add older to younger and often only one older at first, the most dominant.