Integrating my young chickens with my younger chickens.

[OneBadChicken]

Hello all. I have my first chicken situation and looking for advice.

I have 5 15 week old chickens. 2 plymouth rocks, 1 polish crested, 1 copper maran and 1 lavender orpington. Hennifer is the orp and the top bird.

When the girls were 7 weeks old the 6th chicken passed away after the neighbors dog dragged it under the fence. RIP Mighty Eagle. We made the decision to add 2 more girls at that time. 1 Wyandotte and 1 dominique.

We started bringing the little ones out into a small enclosure for short periods of time for the older ones to see when they were about 4 weeks old. A few of the older girls would try to peck them through the enclosure but for the most part didnt seem to pay any attention to them. We moved them out into a small coop in the run of our main coop when they were 6 weeks old.

Now they are about 8 weeks old and still in the small coop. We let them out with the other chickens but they mostly stay separated. The bigger girls will pick on them (mainly Hennifer asserting herself).

The issues I am running into is I would like to get them together at some point but I'm not sure the best time frame for that. What's wierd is the Wyandotte(Vulture) is almost twice the size of the Dominique(Cardi) and I'm afraid that Cardi may get picked on alot because of her small size. She is the sweetest little bird. Vulture is a bird with an attitude and isn't afraid to stand up to some of the bigger girls. Even backing them down at times.

I want to do what's best for the flock in general. I know there will be some scuffles but I would like to minimize damages as much as possible. I'm thinking I should probably wait for a while and let the little Dom size up a bit before getting them fully together with the bigger girls. The bigger girls all grew about the same rate so I'm wonder why Cardi is growing much slower than Vulture.

Overall things are going good with all the girls. I'm just looking for advice on things I could differently or what to do going forward. Thanks all.


 

 

[Lady of McCamley]

The older birds will haze the younger birds until the younger birds are more equal in size. That's just the way chickens are.

I would continue doing what you are doing until the younger birds, which will grow in heavier layer types, have maintained fuller size...at least 12 to 14 weeks.

Have the smaller birds in the small coop. Let them free range together during the day portion, with lots of areas for the smaller birds to remove themselves and escape.

You will see 2 separate flocks for some time. Eventually they will integrate better, but only after the younger birds have obtained size.

LofMc

 

[OneBadChicken]

Thank you so much for the reply! Very helpful. These is our first backyard flock and we just want to do right for them.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I mix them if the younger group has more members than the older group, but if you are only adding 2 more I would wait to add them, and lots of space if you do.