Mixing baby chicks with older hens.

[MissBHaven]

I have 16, 4 week old st. run white bantam silkies that just cam out of their little baby cage and into their coop today. A dear friend wants to give me 4 large Americauna hens that are about 5 years old, but Im nerveous about putting them in with my new babies. Does anyone know how they "may" react to my little ones?

 

[Heather J]

Is there any way you can separate them for a couple of weeks so they can see each other, but not touch each other? If you can, this is best. Some people quarantine new birds for a couple of weeks in a completely different area to make sure there is no sickness before mixing them with the existing flock. If this friend has been raising the adults and you know they are free from illness, you still want to let them adjust to each other a bit.

When my chicks outgrew their 'nursery' in the coop, I provided a 'run' in the larger run that was up off the ground enough the chicks could get in and out, but the big birds couldn't get in and I put food and water in the run just for the chicks. It kept the adults out of the chick feed, and allowed the babies somewhere safe to go if they are getting picked on. Someone else on this site suggested it and it works great!

 

[spook]

BIOSECURITY. Separate them, my ameraucana's want to chase and bonk these babies on the heads! My cochin banties are 7 weeks old and have been mixed in and around the big girls. Only let them intermingle while your able to separate feuds, IF any break out.
It sounds miserable to separate for fear of offending a pal, but your "kids" have different systems and are not immune to what the "new" Girls have become ammune to and may harbor something and pass it on- heart break can happen. It may not seem possible, but I have had it happen. Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[riley grapes]

Ya, I tried the same thing putting my ameraucana chicks with my rhode island red and buff orpington and they just seemed to bully them, it can also get dangerous, a good enough peck from a hen and they could take out the poor chicks eye!

 

[dancingbear]

I had some older hens actually kill some valuable purebred Brahma chicks I had. I'd keep them apart until the younger ones are bigger, less vulnerable.

Plus the bio security thing is just a good idea. Many years ago, my birds got a scaly leg infestation once from a friend's birds that I'd thought were ok. I had a heck of a time clearing that out.