I know this has been gone over like 5 thousand times. I know. But every post I have read was something along the lines of we have 8 hens and are introducing 3 more. My situation is a little different.
I have one hen, the only laying one right now who is a year? I am not sure really. I got her a month ago and intoed her to the 3 that are 20 weeks. That went without a problem.
I have 16 chicks that are 9 weeks right now. We are trying to figure out how to do this. I know to wait until they are closer to the same size. The 3 20 weekers and the chicks have met and not had a problem with each other. In mid Dec, before getting the older hen, everyone was in the garage has we got some bad weather. So I know that the 16 chicks and the 20 weekers get along just fine. BUT I am worried about the laying hen. She asserted herself a good bit to my 3 younger ones and there was a decent amount of feather plucking. It only lasted a couple of days but it makes me wonder how she would be with the youngens.
So right now in our new coop the 16 chicks are in there. There is a way to separate a part off, but that part isn't covered with a roof, just welded wire. So they wouldn't have shelter. I am sure we could make a temp roost, and maybe a temp roof. Just wondering if we should put them so they can see each other for a few days or just sneak in the 4 older ones in the middle of the night. It is the chicks territory plus they outnumber 4 to 1.
Sorry this is so long, we have been thinking of this and reading about this so much we are kinda
over the whole thing
I have one hen, the only laying one right now who is a year? I am not sure really. I got her a month ago and intoed her to the 3 that are 20 weeks. That went without a problem.
I have 16 chicks that are 9 weeks right now. We are trying to figure out how to do this. I know to wait until they are closer to the same size. The 3 20 weekers and the chicks have met and not had a problem with each other. In mid Dec, before getting the older hen, everyone was in the garage has we got some bad weather. So I know that the 16 chicks and the 20 weekers get along just fine. BUT I am worried about the laying hen. She asserted herself a good bit to my 3 younger ones and there was a decent amount of feather plucking. It only lasted a couple of days but it makes me wonder how she would be with the youngens.
So right now in our new coop the 16 chicks are in there. There is a way to separate a part off, but that part isn't covered with a roof, just welded wire. So they wouldn't have shelter. I am sure we could make a temp roost, and maybe a temp roof. Just wondering if we should put them so they can see each other for a few days or just sneak in the 4 older ones in the middle of the night. It is the chicks territory plus they outnumber 4 to 1.
Sorry this is so long, we have been thinking of this and reading about this so much we are kinda
