Help Please? 10 Chick, 4 Ladies, 1 Cock

[MWVChicken]

Four 3 Year Old Buffs intro to 10 Austrolorps. I have 10 4 week old Austrolorps and 4 older ladies and a small partridge Cochin Rooster. The small rooster is keeping the ladies in line. They free range during the day in a large 20 x 40 enclosure and have a 4 x 6 coop secured at night. The babies are 4 weeks old the outside temps are in the 70's. what next? My plan is to put a small run in the larger enclosure and let the babies start spending the days outside with the older hens. Bringing them inside at night. after about a week I planned on letting them intermingle during the day and separating them at night. then after 2 weeks let them coop with the ladies? HELP AM I ON TRACK?

 

[secuono]

They seem too young to even be out of the brooder, let alone with the big girls. If you haven't introduced chicks to the girls before, you don't know how they will treat them. They can kill them if they really wanted to. I would have the chicks separated in a kennel 24/7 with a heat lamp until they are 6wks. Then you can let them out with the others while you STAY and watch. If they constantly chase them away from food/water/etc, you will have to keep them separated a few more weeks until the newbies are large enough to take the attitude issue the others have.

 

[bartchick]

I agree with Secuono. Your plans sounds good, using an enclosure to protect them, but it seems like you might be a little early. It is risky enough to intro adults, I used kennel for a week with closely supervised co-mingling. With our young-uns we use brooder until 6-7 weeks. Good luck with your Astrolorps.

 

[Judy]

Your plan sounds fine to me, except I would probably not try letting them be in the same enclosure until the chicks are about the same size as the mature hens. I would be surprised if they seem cold with temps in the 70's, unless they are still indoors and under a heat lamp 24/7. If they are, I'd turn the heat lamp off during the day for a few days first.

Some people do mix hens and older chicks successfully. If you try it, I'd only do it under supervision for a good while. If you're lucky, the cockerel will help protect the chicks.

 

[MWVChicken]

Great, thank you all, I will wait 3-4 more weeks.

 

[CowgirlPenny]

My middle chicks are 9 weeks old. They have been in eyesight of my 13.5wks for almost a month. Today I put them inside the run in a separate fenced off area for about two hours. Several were interested in them being closer, but nothing too serious. I removed the fencing a few hours later and stayed inside to see what happened. They are relatively the same size. There were a few pecks on the back of the head but no major attacking. I made them wait hours later than usual for their scratch and when I put it down the younger ones even mingled in and ate some. They are still pretty scared and stay in the corner (I have 12 of the 13.5wk olds, just 3 of the 9 week olds)

Our roo seems to settle the older ones down when they start honking at the same time like they are going to gang up. He makes a sharp sounds and they all stop and go back to what they are doing. I'm sure your Roo will help keep the ladies under control.

Good luck! I have been dreading this part for weeks. But I need the smaller coop for my 3 week olds now. So this time had to come eventually.

 

[Chicky Monkey]

I, also, am waiting until my younger group of 4 is more to the same size as my older group of 7, which is about 12 weeks old. I have heard putting vinegar on the backs of the younger ones can help them be accepted by the older, existing flock. Has anyone else heard or tried that? Have very many of you had success with the 'putting the new ones in with the existing flock during the night'? I currently have the young ones in with the older ones, but separated by fencing. So far, every morning, the older ones act like they want to 'get at' the younger ones and so I am very nervous at the thought of integrating them. Any suggestions are most appreciated and welcome!