- May 8, 2012
- 19
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I posted this as an answer on another thread but wanted to share:
I have two groups that are about 6 weeks apart. The older groups just turned 4 months and the younger shy of 3. Last night we put them in the coop to sleep together for the first time. Everyone survived
Our little ones started in a crate that the older ones were free to walk around and then we let them free range all together ( babys started doing that about 6+ weeks ago and older ones had been doing it a bit longer) at first they didn't go near each other but then they started to kinda mill about in the same area. They are still not "hanging out" with each other but my rooster seems to have become in charge of the little ones too and the older pullets are not picking on them quite so much.
My older girls have been roosting on top of the hen house for the last week or two instead of putting themselves to bed with our Roo so i decided to put the baby girls in the house with the roo and let the older girls sleep up top for an hour or so. Around midnight I went and put the big girls in on the roost bar (babies were sleeping on the floor) and there was no squabbling. I don't think they knew they were there. This morning everyone hopped out and went their seperate ways. Tonight I did the same thing, but put the babies in first and then pulled the older girls off the roof and put them in. no fighting. everyone just settled in. Im hoping after a few days the babies will start going in on thier own.
I have two groups that are about 6 weeks apart. The older groups just turned 4 months and the younger shy of 3. Last night we put them in the coop to sleep together for the first time. Everyone survived
Our little ones started in a crate that the older ones were free to walk around and then we let them free range all together ( babys started doing that about 6+ weeks ago and older ones had been doing it a bit longer) at first they didn't go near each other but then they started to kinda mill about in the same area. They are still not "hanging out" with each other but my rooster seems to have become in charge of the little ones too and the older pullets are not picking on them quite so much.
My older girls have been roosting on top of the hen house for the last week or two instead of putting themselves to bed with our Roo so i decided to put the baby girls in the house with the roo and let the older girls sleep up top for an hour or so. Around midnight I went and put the big girls in on the roost bar (babies were sleeping on the floor) and there was no squabbling. I don't think they knew they were there. This morning everyone hopped out and went their seperate ways. Tonight I did the same thing, but put the babies in first and then pulled the older girls off the roof and put them in. no fighting. everyone just settled in. Im hoping after a few days the babies will start going in on thier own.
