Flocking together

[City Farmer Jim]

I'm not sure if this is the correct place for this question but I have to start somewhere. We have a flock of 5 that is 7.5 months old and laying eggs and an eclectic second flock of varying ages basically not our choosing BUT we have 1 bird that is 4.5 -5 months old 2 birds 3.5 months old and 2 birds(cutest ever) that are about 5 ish weeks old. Here's the question will we have two separate flocks or in time will they be one big happy family?

 

[BDutch]

Are there no problems with the little ones? I wouldn't dare to put only 5 week old chicks together with 4,5 month old pullets.
I would put the 3,5 and 4,5 month with the adult chickens and keep the young chicks apart in sight of the older ones.

 

[City Farmer Jim]

Are there no problems with the little ones? I wouldn't dare to put only 5 week old chicks together with 4,5 month old pullets.
I would put the 3,5 and 4,5 month with the adult chickens and keep the young chicks apart in sight of the older ones.

After I hit post I realized I did give
y'all enough information. The oldest pullet has a head injury and is separate, the 3.5 month old have just been introduced to the BIG GIRLS last weekend so the oldest and youngest are in a separate run in full view of the BIG GIRLS. We are planning on introducing the oldest and youngest girls to the first flock in 2 possibly 3 weeks. This is not how we had planned to introduce everyone just how its working out.

 

[Mtnboomer]

I do a similar system all the time with no troubles.
My chicks leave the brooder at 8wks. The go into what i call a juvenile coop/run. There they grow in full view of the adult free ranging flock until they are 4 mos old. This is so they are at least 2/3 the size of the adult birds upon introduction at 4 mos.

Once introduced by coopiing the whole flock up for a day, when released there is some temporary separation of the younger and older birds for about a week, but you can see the 2 groups slowly integrate in different activities as the youngsters learn their new surroundings. Soon they are doing everything together.

Now, we butcher our bitds at 10 months to control the population and make room for new hatches. But on occasion, due to lack of time, weather, whatever, butchering has been delayed and the free range flock becomes rather large (up to 22 birds) compared to the normal 12-14. When this happens, 2 flocks form again but not necessarily based upon new and old. They seem to divide up however they wish and forage all day in 2 separate groups then return to roost together.

 

[aart]

Usually the youngsters don't enter the main flock pecking order until they start laying.

 

[Mrs. K]

Yes, eventually will all be one flock. Until the pullets lay eggs, then tend to be a sub flock, hanging together, in with the older birds, but a little separate. Once they start to lay, that separation will be gone. It will be one flock.

I have found the more you mix at one time, the better it is for everyone. I would try combining them all now. If it is a wreck, then I would separate them. But it would have to be a pretty big wreck. However, I have a large run, with a lot of clutter in it, and multiple hideouts, and feed stations for my birds.

Mrs K