Integrating younger chicks with older chicks

[WolfLady]

Hi!

I have a 8' x 8' coop, in which I put a 2' x 8' division for younger chicks. I have four chicks that are 9 weeks old in the large area of the coop, and six chicks that are 5 weeks old in the small area. The younger chicks were moved from the brooder to that division since a week, so it's been a week that they are all living together, but separated by a little fencing.

This morning I took my courage to let one of the small one meet the bigger ones, just one at first to be able to monitor if they were acting aggressive. It went quite well so I let all the small ones meet the bigger ones. One of the rooster (Nugget) and his hen (Oatcake) did absolutely nothing to them, they went close, eat near them, no aggression at all. The other rooster (Pancake) was okay-ish, he would randomly peck a bit, but overall was accepting of them. The last one, a hen (Cupcake), was aggressive with them so I took her away while letting the other ones meet the lil ones. They spent +- 20 minutes together under supervision before I put back the smaller ones in the division and let the aggressive hen (Cupcake) coming back into the coop.

My questions are:
- Should I let the bigger ones pecking the small ones? Like, is it part of them being accepted? Atm, I would intervene when Pancake was pecking a bit and like stated above, I retired Cupcake since she was mean with the small ones.
- When can I try to actually leave them all together unsupervised? I could always put the mean hen in the division to let the other ones being altogether, if that could help.

Thank you a lot for the advices. I'm overly caring of my chicks chicks.

 

[Mrs. K]

You need to set it up so they can work it out. In chicken society the ability to get out of sight is critical for birds to get along in a confined area. Out of sight, out of mind is very true in the chicken world. It allows the lower pecking order birds to get away from causing aggression with the higher pecking order birds. They can bow to the queen by giving way to her and disappearing for a few moments.

Many runs are just a wide open rectangle in which a bird can see every other bird an any moment. Add clutter to the run, makes it more interesting to the birds. Things they can get up on top of or underneath in the shade, or behind and out of sight will be much better for all the birds, and make integrations easier.

In the run, set up a pallet on bricks, so that the chicks can run under there and get out of sight. Or section off a corner with some fencing just a couple of inches off the ground, again so the smaller ones can escape.

Let the big girls out in the yard, and lock them out. Lock the littles in the run, with you, and give them a couple of mock chases, so they find and use the safety zones. Then let the big ones in. You should watch for a while to make sure your escape routes are working, and then let them work it out. When it gets to be too much for the chicks, they can retire to a safe place. Put an extra feed bowl there so they are sure to get enough.

Always much better than too much people interference. No one can live with chickens, better to let them work it out, just give them the means to do so.

Mrs K

 

[Mrs. K]

Ideas for clutter - old chairs, sawhorse, large cardboard, cardboard boxes, totes on the side, ladders, pieces of plywood and pallets leaned against the fence, pallets up on cement blocks. I have even fenced off a corner with pallets, that act as one way gates, where the small birds can still fit between the boards, a bigger bird can't.

 

[WolfLady]

You need to set it up so they can work it out. In chicken society the ability to get out of sight is critical for birds to get along in a confined area. Out of sight, out of mind is very true in the chicken world. It allows the lower pecking order birds to get away from causing aggression with the higher pecking order birds. They can bow to the queen by giving way to her and disappearing for a few moments.

Many runs are just a wide open rectangle in which a bird can see every other bird an any moment. Add clutter to the run, makes it more interesting to the birds. Things they can get up on top of or underneath in the shade, or behind and out of sight will be much better for all the birds, and make integrations easier.

In the run, set up a pallet on bricks, so that the chicks can run under there and get out of sight. Or section off a corner with some fencing just a couple of inches off the ground, again so the smaller ones can escape.

Let the big girls out in the yard, and lock them out. Lock the littles in the run, with you, and give them a couple of mock chases, so they find and use the safety zones. Then let the big ones in. You should watch for a while to make sure your escape routes are working, and then let them work it out. When it gets to be too much for the chicks, they can retire to a safe place. Put an extra feed bowl there so they are sure to get enough.

Always much better than too much people interference. No one can live with chickens, better to let them work it out, just give them the means to do so.

Mrs K

Thank you a lot for your detailed advices, it's very appreciated!

At the moment they do have very few stuff to play/hide in (a box, cement blocks with holes large enough only for the small ones, several perches of different height, limited space under the nesting boxes where only smaller ones fit), but indeed not as much. I'll definitely add more to give them a chance to hide/escape as they need.

They are currently 5 weeks for the smaller and 9 weeks for the older. Is it proper age-wise to put them all together or if I should wait for the smaller to get even bigger?

I was surprise that the hen being the meanest with them is actually the more mellow one usually (she never tries to fight, always let other go before her when there is food, etc). Could it be because she's the lower in that group and want to be "above" the new ones?

 

[Mrs. K]

Yes on the pecking order question.

As to the time frame, I think the sooner the better. I am in a do over, and had two groups of chicks, one group about 4 weeks older than the others, I put the small chicks in with them at 1 week, and they have made a very good flock. No one is laying yet, but the big girls should in the next 3 weeks.

I wonder when they start laying if it will create a sub flock, which is normal with chickens of different ages until the younger birds start laying then they become one flock. But this is a pretty tight flock, so it will be interesting to watch.

But the sooner the better is my philosophy. I mean broody hens brings them out at 2-3 days old. So it that is what I do too.

Mrs K