Mixing 5.5 week old chicks with 10 week old chicks

[gbartha]

I have had my 5.5 week old chicks in a baby play area in the run for a week. I have three 10 week old chicks; 2 pullets and 1 cockrel. I want to let the baby chicks out tomorrow. Thoughts? Do you think they can sleep together in the coop too? Right now they sleep in a giant bin with a hardware cloth lid.

 

[azjustin]

Ehhhhhh....

Let them out supervised, but be prepared to usher the small ones back into their enclosure if pecking is too much for them. Maybe I'm way overtired, but those larger hens look a bit more than 10 weeks?

I'd make a small hole (smaller than you think) in the separation cage so the smaller ones can use it as a panic room when the larger hens get feisty and pecky. The smaller ones will be able to sleep with the larger peeps when they let them, no need to rush it.

Very nice coop!

 

[gbartha]

Ehhhhhh....

Let them out supervised, but be prepared to usher the small ones back into their enclosure if pecking is too much for them. Maybe I'm way overtired, but those larger hens look a bit more than 10 weeks?

I'd make a small hole (smaller than you think) in the separation cage so the smaller ones can use it as a panic room when the larger hens get feisty and pecky. The smaller ones will be able to sleep with the larger peeps when they let them, no need to rush it.

Very nice coop!

Thanks azjustin. Yea they look big! They were hatched June 4th, right in our house. First set of hatchings and we ended up with 2 hens and 4 roos. Three roos found a home and we bought 3 more hens from a local farm 5 weeks later. The older ones have seen and heard the littles since they were a week old (all living in my kitchen at night while the coop was being finished). The older ones finally got outside 3 weeks ago, and the little ones out 1 week ago.

 

[gbartha]

So far so good. A bit of pecking from the two barred rock mix hens. Rooster is being gentle with them. They have a "panic room". But its a heat index of 108 outside so I don't expect too much action. Just too hot.

 

[aart]

That is a nice enclosure....you couldn't have left that up and added some 'panic' openings?

So far so good. A bit of pecking from the two barred rock mix hens. Rooster is being gentle with them. They have a "panic room". But its a heat index of 108 outside so I don't expect too much action. Just too hot.

I hope it's not too hot under that cooler.

 

[gbartha]

That is a nice enclosure....you couldn't have left that up and added some 'panic' openings?

I hope it's not too hot under that cooler.

nope we checked. Its actually cooler under there than outside.