So, this is kind of a long story, but I need to tell it to get to my point -
I was gone at a scout camp for 5 days (which was awesome!) and my brother and sister were in Utah. (Me and my brother usually do animal chores.) So the chores fell to my mom and other brother. Everything went fine, except a couple times one of the big chickens would get into the chicks pen, (which is inside the coop, so they can get used to each other.) and vice/versa, and my DM said it was hard to see who was supposed to go back where. She eventually figured it out. Now, my family and I are going on an almost 3 week trip to the east coast soon, and we will be having family and friends taking care of the chickens/cats. My biggest worry at the moment is that the same thing will happen and they won't be able to tell which on goes where and one chick will get stuck in the big girl pen and get pecked, maybe to death. SO after all that I am wondering if I could integrate them NOW, so that they are used to each other by the time I am gone. The chicks are 16 weeks tomorrow, (Monday the 28th.) and Mr.Darcy the rooster is as big, (or maybe bigger.) then my biggest chicken. 3 of them are as big as my average sized ones, but my leghorns are still small. Maybe as big as my gold stars. (who are my smallest chickens.) They will have 2 weeks of supervision before I leave. My SLWs are my main concern, they are pecky-meanies to my regular sized ones. My other chickens for the most part are easy going. One option could be taking the SLWs out and putting the chicks in. Thank you anybody for any help!
I was gone at a scout camp for 5 days (which was awesome!) and my brother and sister were in Utah. (Me and my brother usually do animal chores.) So the chores fell to my mom and other brother. Everything went fine, except a couple times one of the big chickens would get into the chicks pen, (which is inside the coop, so they can get used to each other.) and vice/versa, and my DM said it was hard to see who was supposed to go back where. She eventually figured it out. Now, my family and I are going on an almost 3 week trip to the east coast soon, and we will be having family and friends taking care of the chickens/cats. My biggest worry at the moment is that the same thing will happen and they won't be able to tell which on goes where and one chick will get stuck in the big girl pen and get pecked, maybe to death. SO after all that I am wondering if I could integrate them NOW, so that they are used to each other by the time I am gone. The chicks are 16 weeks tomorrow, (Monday the 28th.) and Mr.Darcy the rooster is as big, (or maybe bigger.) then my biggest chicken. 3 of them are as big as my average sized ones, but my leghorns are still small. Maybe as big as my gold stars. (who are my smallest chickens.) They will have 2 weeks of supervision before I leave. My SLWs are my main concern, they are pecky-meanies to my regular sized ones. My other chickens for the most part are easy going. One option could be taking the SLWs out and putting the chicks in. Thank you anybody for any help!
