Help....new hens added to 8 week old chicks.

[yetavon]

I picked up 20 straight run mixed Brown egg layers that are 8 weeks old today. They have been growing and doing well, now reside in a 12x12 dog lot. Last week my brother calls and hooks me up with 5 about 1 year old hens that were laying. Poor hens have bald spots on there backs from the roosters abusing them. My 1st problem is they now take out that treatment on the chicks.
2nd problem is I put them in with my chicks about noon, and the 1st day 3 eggs, 2 the next, and since I only get 1-2 eggs a day and some shelless. Have tried some laying mash but they rather eat the starter...And not sure about mixing them together at the chicks age. In the process of moving the cage against the barn making it 12x24 and possibly separate them.
Wanted a laying flock, the plan is to separated the Roos as they mature, save a couple for breeding pens, remaining Roos get the freezer treatment.
any other ideas appreciated. Thanks

 

[Ravynscroft]

Separate them... those chicks are too young to be with unknown older hens... make sure they can see each other so they will get to know each other though... as for the eggs, moving to a new home causes stress so may take a while for you to get regular eggs...

 

[dekel18042]

What RavynFallen said. It's too late now, but new chickens should always be separated from your flock until you're sure they are healthy. They shouldn't be intermingled until the younger ones no longer make the peep noise.
I have four three months olds in a grow out pen which is against the main run so the chickens have seen each other for over six weeks old now and in the past two weeks we are letting them free range together with no problems. They go in and out of each others coops so I don't see a problem when we decide to shut down their coop.
I've also been letting the bantams out with the big birds and they're also checking out each other's coops although they go into their own at night.
After being in sight of each other for a bit, if they can be out together, you should have no problems with moving them to the same pen.

 

[azygous]

As long as you're putting together a run, you might as well make a "panic room". This is an enclosure that the chicks can run into and be safe from the older chickens and not need to compete for food and water.

Small 5x7 inch pop holes in the partitions will allow the chicks to retreat to safety without the adults following. This way, you can put all of them together right away without waiting for the chicks to grow up.

In addition, when you have a mixed flock, it's best to feed an all flock ration with oyster shell on the side as free choice. That way the chicks won't need to be kept away from the adult food, which is nearly impossible.

When creating a run, make sure you have ten square feet per chicken and add plenty of perches of varying heights for the chicks and timid ones to use to evade bullies. I even recently added a swinging perch, and my chicks love to swing high above the adults who can't reach them.

It is true that regular egg laying should resume after the new hens have settled in. However, be aware that fall molt is beginning in the northern hemisphere, and laying falls off and stops all together in some until after January. If you live in the southern hemisphere, disregard this last bit. This is why it's helpful to fill out your profile info so we can give better advice suited for your location.

 

[yetavon]

Thanks....need to post on here more often.....got 4 eggs today. got a dog kennel cage with large crate in the bottom, laid on its side its a great escape place.....walked by it 100 times....set next to the cage since I carried the 5 hens home....
Oyster on the side will work for now....

I'll hit that profile, but am in Western NC, previous hens laid just about year round.