Intergrating Different Aged Chicks with the Big Guys ETC.

[Steph Martin]

Hi...I have a couple of questions.

1. I have 12 three-week-old chicks in the house. I would like to introduce them to the flock (four hens one roo). When can this be done? My husband wants to section off a portion of the coop for them without a top. Will the grown ups try to get at them?

2. I have a small hen who hatched out four chicks a week ago. They are in a dog crate outside the run but I let them out during the day. The mother sticks close to the run so I'm wondering when I can put her back in (along with babies).

Thanks.

 

[chicmom]

Hello! This can be a sticky wicket! As a general rule, I don't let the younger ones mingle with the other ones until they are close in size. I have the big hen house, then I have the "baby coop". The chicks start in the basement brooder, graduate to the baby coop, and then they get to free range together, and finally, everybody goes into the big hen house.

Your hubby's got a good idea about sectioning them off inside the coop. That way, then larger chickens can't "beat the daylights" out of the smaller ones (or even kill them)

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I would make sure the fencing is high enough so that a hen can't get in there.....Because they will harm the babies....They're very territorial.....

 

[chickensRcute]

I have to first say welcome to BYC!! I have seven chicks about the same age as yours and I was afraid to put them with the older girls! First let me say I did and they are fine! The first thing I did was build a corner cage in the coop with a lid so that no one could get out or in! LOL

I left the babies in it for about two weeks, this way the older girls could get used to them. Then I let my older ones out to free range and gave them lots of treats to keep them busy! I slowly put the babies out with them and there was a little pecking but not too bad! Or you can wait until you have had them in the cage for a week or two and then put them out at night when your older girls are really sleepy and put them on the roost. Sometimes they will do better that way. My babies are all okay but I am still a little nervous about it, I check on them a lot! Good luck to you and your babies!!!

 

[Steph Martin]

Thanks for the good advice. I've read enough to be dangerous

My husband went ahead and sectioned off a spot. I'm so excited to get them out there acting like chickens instead of children...plus the food is starting to smell or maybe the chicks...