Introducing 7 Week Old Chicks to my 8 Month Old Flock

[GlicksChicks]

Today I opened the chicks caged area in the coop and left a small opening for the chicks to slip in and out of. The opening is not big enough for the adults to get through. I have seen the chicks using it.

I watched the flock for a while and the only chicken that has "attacked" the chicks is my mother hen. She only attacked when they got too close to her chicks and when they backed off, so does she. She is only doing her job as a mother hen.

One of the chicks drank water with our meanest chickens, 2/3 SLW hens. The chick also went out in the run with the chickens for a little bit. My rooster's only reaction was to do his mating dance to try and win the chicks over.

I am introducing 18 chicks to 10 adult chickens.

Is 7 weeks too young to introduce to 9 month old chickens?
Will having 18 chicks vs 10 chickens help prevent targeting of a specific chick?

 

[Debbie292d]

We have seven, 7-week chicks in a pen outdoors that they can come out in the yard where the 7 four-month-old chickens are nearby free-ranging.

It's touch and go as the old ones watch the smaller ones and if one gets too close, they get a peck. The older ones have a nice growout coop I'd like to add the smaller ones to it with them but it's doubtful they'll let them sleep with them in their hutch.

I think we all just have to try it and sometimes be amazed, and other times disappointed. If it doesn't work, usually it's just a matter of another week or two.

 

[GlicksChicks]

We have seven, 7-week chicks in a pen outdoors that they can come out in the yard where the 7 four-month-old chickens are nearby free-ranging.

It's touch and go as the old ones watch the smaller ones and if one gets too close, they get a peck. The older ones have a nice growout coop I'd like to add the smaller ones to it with them but it's doubtful they'll let them sleep with them in their hutch.

I think we all just have to try it and sometimes be amazed, and other times disappointed. If it doesn't work, usually it's just a matter of another week or two.

It is mostly trial and error with chickens. There are many different personalities.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Is 7 weeks too young to introduce to 9 month old chickens?
Will having 18 chicks vs 10 chickens help prevent targeting of a specific chick?

No it's not too young. Yes it helps that you have more babies than older birds.

So far sounds like everything is going fairly well.

 

[aart]

Is 7 weeks too young to introduce to 9 month old chickens?

Not too young, maybe too old/big.
The only problem might be making the chicks escape opening large enough for the chicks but small enough that no older birds can get thru.

I had an adult bird(not a bantam) get thru a 4" wide opening,
had to narrow it down to 3.5".
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

 

[GlicksChicks]

Not too young, maybe too old/big.
The only problem might be making the chicks escape opening large enough for the chicks but small enough that no older birds can get thru.

I had an adult bird(not a bantam) get thru a 4" wide opening,
had to narrow it down to 3.5".
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

This is the size of the opening. When the chicks go out of it, they are just small enough to go through. It is perfect size for them.

The second picture is a comparison of one of the chicks and one of my chickens.

I hope they can't slip through. So far, though, no one has bullied the chicks. Mainly just my mothet hen protecting her chicks from unfamiliar chickens.

 

[GlicksChicks]

No it's not too young. Yes it helps that you have more babies than older birds.

So far sounds like everything is going fairly well.

So far so good!

 

[GlicksChicks]

A little update from later in the day yesterday, the day I put them in.

The chicks have taken over the newest part of the coop. The big chickens had never really had any interest in the new part, they preferred staying in the original area. Either for familiarity or because they didn't need the space.

I have not seen any chicks brave the run completely, but I have seen some go slightly in the run. Still unfamiliar territory for them. They will brave the run, however, for some plants. I gave my chickens plants and topped off their grit and one of the chicks decided to join in on the eating.

All was well until a maran told him to back off from her food.

The chicks are also using the perches I made for the big chickens in the new area but the big chickens had no intention of sleeping there at night. They perch there during the day sometimes, but always go back to their normal sleeping area at night.