Introducing 5 week olds to 12 weekers after downsize?

[McMama]

I’m in a slight predicament. I currently have four 12 week olds, two are pullets and two are cockerels. They all hatched out together and are close. The boys are getting picked up tomorrow morning to be taken to a farm where a local gal has offered to take them both to live happily out of the city. I have three 5 week old lavender orpingtons. These babies are extremely anxious and scared of every single thing I’ll add, it’s been so hard with them they scream and run anytime me my husband or kids come anywhere near them . I have been slowly introducing them by keeping them in a small enclosed brooder/mini coop outdoors while the older ones free range, and then putting them to sleep in a separate area in my garage. We decided to move it into our big coop (9x12 old potting shed) and I keep them in there during the day to roam around and get to know it. I just open their mini coop and close the big coop door so they stay separated. The big birds free range all day until we get our run complete. This is night two of sleeping in there with them.

My question is: how long do I do this for? The two 12 week pullets that are staying, are very docile and have never shown any sort of agitation or aggression like the two cockerels have done through the cage. Now that the boys are leaving, I’m sad for my girls that will likely miss them. The boys have always been in charge. Do I immediately go for free range time once the boys leave to eliminate a second disruption for my girls? Or do I need to continue to wait another 3 to 5 weeks and then do it? The girls aren’t top of the pecking order (yet) which is why I’m wondering if I should do it quickly after the boys leave? Ugh this is just so hard for me to make sure I’m doing it right! I also have six 2 week olds that I’ll need to do the integration part, but I’ve got time for that. It’s this iffy middle ground I’m dealing with lol. Any suggestions?

 

[Debbie292d]

We just did that with our silkies. Eight were 6 weeks old, and four were 12 weeks old. We just put them together in the temp coop. The younger ones wouldn't sleep in the hutch but would puddle up on the concrete so I put straw down there for them. Two days of that, then they started joining the older ones at night. I don't know sexes yet though but that wouldn't matter with silkies yet.

During the day, they do kind of free range together most of the time, but sometimes they are in their own groups.

Since you have two week old ones, maybe take a step back and just combine them with your youngest ones for a week or two first. Those might be just a bit small for the 3-month old ones, but it's worth trying.

 

[Mrs. K]

It really depends on your space and how it is set up. If there is a lot of clutter, the size difference in the birds can really help, in that you create safety zones in which a little can get into, and a bigger bird can't follow.

I would just put them all together, and provide a place that the littles can get into and eat in, that the bigs can't. I have used a fence than is just a few inches off the ground, lattice, larger square wire, or even pallets.

Feed and water the littles in the zone. They will eventually move out on their terms, when they are confident, you don't have to worry if you are right. They will escape back into the safety zone if threatened. I put my chicks out with the layers at 3 weeks.

Mrs K