How long to separate?

[ChickaChic]

I recently got 30 new chicks - 4 of them are 7 weeks old, and the others range from 1-3 weeks old. Right now they are all staying together in an 8x8 outbuilding. I have the 7-weekers in a cage next to where the little ones hang out with the brooding lamp, as I didn't want to risk the older ones picking on the little ones. I was wondering how long should I give it before I mix them?

Thanks in advance!

 

[OreoPlymothRock]

I would put the chicks in with the others when they are about the same size. My baby chicks are 1 week old and i have 3 three week old chicks and the smaller ones do tend to get bullied by the bigger ones.

 

[ChickaChic]

Thank you for your reply. I haven't had any issues with the 3-week-old chicks picking on the 1-week-old chicks. I'm more wondering about mixing those with the 7-week-olds.

 

[jecombs]

I'm glad you posted this because I have the same question! We have five, one-month-old Buff Orps that we got from TSC. Two of them turned out to be roosters so I want to go back and get some more pullets and possibly some meaties. It sounds like we should keep them separated until they are about the same size...

 

[ChickaChic]

A spin-off question: I also have 1 older rooster and 1 older Golden Sex Link hen (not quite a year, but old enough to lay) that are free ranging right now. In the next couple of weeks, we will be completing our coop/chicken yard that they will eventually all live in together. I don't plan to put any of the birds in it until they are all old enough to live together. Will it work to put them all in there at the same time since it will be new territory for all of them, even if the area is available to the older rooster and hen currently (but they are not limited to it by any means)?