Introducing SGs to BAs

[Redbirdacres]

We have 3 BAs that are just over 2 months old and 5 SGs that are about 5 weeks. The trough we were using for our meat birds is empty and clean now that we moved them outside and I'm wondering if I could put all 8 birds together until we get the coop and run built. Thoughts??

 

[NatJ]

Putting them together: maybe. You could try it and see, but be prepared to separate them again if it doesn't work. Dividing them with a piece of wire mesh could let them start getting acquainted but not be able to hurt each other.


But I'm a little concerned about the size of the "trough."
At those ages, your chickens should have something like following amounts of space:

3 BA @4 square feet each = 12 square feet
5 SG @2 square feet each = 10 square feet

I haven't seen many troughs with 22 square feet of space.

Integrating chickens of different ages tends to go much more smoothly with large amounts of space, and much less well when they are cramped.

 

[3KillerBs]

Here are some useful articles on integration:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop-brooder-and-integration.74591/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/introducing-new-chickens-using-the-“see-but-don’t-touch”-method.67839/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/adding-to-your-flock.47756/

I second the concern about space.

 

[Redbirdacres]

They definitely need more space. We're getting the run and coop set up this week but the tractor for our meat birds plus covid plus weather issues meant it took longer than we were expecting :/