Introducing 3-4 week olds to adults and the outdoors.

[Peepthis541]

My chicks are about 3-4 weeks old now. On the warmer days, I've started putting them in an unused chicken tractor I have made escape proof for their little bodies. I keep a box out there with shavings and a heat lamp over it just in case it may get too cool for them. I have observed they stay in the box and also roam a bit to scratch around in the dirt and experiment eating the occasional grass leaf.

Another step in socializing I've done is introduce my gentlest adult hen to the chicks, a year old buff orpington. I've kept a watchful eye during the mixing to make sure none of the chicks get injured. I did observe the occasional light peck from Ginny, but nothing excessive or to raise concern. The chicks seem quite natural among her and I was hoping these steps would help eventually mix the young flock with the adults at a later date.

I would like to hear of others' routines in exposing young chicks to the elements and new scenarios as well as to adult hens.

Part of the reason I am enjoying getting them outside is because they are starting to stink up the house! The more they grow, the more they eat, the more they poop, and you know how that goes!

Dave

Americaun Beauty!

Eatin'. You know what comes next.

Lazy chicks. They sleep like the dead when they are not bouncing around like crazy.

6 piece bucket. Coming in from outside.

 

[thechickonthehill]

Absolutely love the bucket pic!

 

[willkatdawson]

Gosh be careful I've read so many post about adult injuring chicks. I tried adding 8 ten week olds to my 2 adult hens and I just couldn't make it work. The cockrels didn't have enought sense not to run up to the adult and try to fight. I ended up closing the hens in the wire walled closet in the coop until there was a cease fire. Also be careful of snakes with the babies outside. Nothing says dinner bell to a snake more than cheeping.

 

[Hillbilly Rooster]

I just put mine in with the adults last week but they were 3-31/2 months old.

They were in a chicken tractor with a small coop that I left outside and moved along the pen. I still had pecking but nobody hurt.

I would be concerned with them being that little.

My ratio was 31 adults and 50 teenagers.

I do have to say the pecking really did not come from my hens which are Buff Orpingtons just the rooster setting up pecking order I think.

 

[minna]

I put mine together last year with no problem, we put in a big wooden box with a hole cut out of the front big enough for the babies but not big enough for the adults. That way they could hide when they got picked on.

 

[Peepthis541]

Quote:
Good idea!

 

[Chicky Tocks]

I'm watching your answers here. My thing is that I have some 4 week old chicks that I need to mix in with the 12 week old teens. I have them currently in a split coop and all can see each other but I haven't pulled that pop door between the split yet. My four weekers haven't even been outside yet!

 

[Over Easy in Adna]

I need to mix my groups too and have done a couple of searches. Some of the responses talked about not mixing them until they are all on the same feed.

 

[cposz]

We tried putting our 9-week olds in with the 1-year olds and while it didn't get too bad, it wasn't smooth. I wouldn't trust the babies in with the hens just yet. So we built an intermediate house for the little girls and placed it right next to the coop. Once we get the run around the temp. coop, the girls will all get to see each other from their runs, but no one will get hurt. At least not until they are all on the same food and are the same size. Then we will try again.

I think that our chicks (BO) may actually end up being bigger than our hens (red sex links) when they are grown.

 

[wyo-helpmeet]

Quote:
I think I got ripped off. Mine only had 2 pieces last night: