Mixing Chicks with Teenagers

[GeekiTurtle]

I've got a flock of 10 week olds (14 of then) and I've got a flock of 3 week olds (18 of them).

Is it possible to mix the 2 flocks at this age or is 3 weeks old too young? Or is the age gap too big? And if I do mix the 2 what are some concerns I should look out for?

If you want any more information please ask...

 

[GoosesGeeses]

I personally would wait until they are a little older, maybe 7 weeks, 3 weeks is just too young in my opinion, the older ones will probably pick on them and bully them

 

[Yardmom]

The three week old chicks need heat while the older ones do not. As long as chicks can move in and out of the heat that may not matter. Some 10 week old chicks could be aggressive toward smaller birds while others of that age may not react much at all to them.

Both your setup and the personality of the older chicks need to be considered. If your setup would work well you could try to mix them while you are watching to see how the older chicks treat the younger chicks.

 

[GeekiTurtle]

I personally would wait until they are a little older, maybe 7 weeks, 3 weeks is just too young in my opinion, the older ones will probably pick on them and bully them

I probably won't be able to keep them that long in the brooder I got set up. The New batch if chicks come from a land race mother and already know how to perch for short durations and can easily climb up a steep ladder...

 

[GeekiTurtle]

The three week old chicks need heat while the older ones do not. As long as chicks can move in and out of the heat that may not matter. Some 10 week old chicks could be aggressive toward smaller birds while others of that age may not react much at all to them.

Both your setup and the personality of the older chicks need to be considered. If your setup would work well you could try to mix them while you are watching to see how the older chicks treat the younger chicks.

Where I'm staying it's been getting into 35°C easily during the day and at night they can huddle (being so many), so I'm not too worried about heat.

The coop space has enough floor space for the chicks to run away but I'll keep in mind to watch them. Might do the transfer next week or the one after.

 

[Yardmom]

Where I'm staying it's been getting into 35°C easily during the day and at night they can huddle (being so many), so I'm not too worried about heat.

The coop space has enough floor space for the chicks to run away but I'll keep in mind to watch them. Might do the transfer next week or the one after.

No heat needed at that temperature. (I guess keeping birds cool is more of a concern for you).
Adding hiding places or places only the little ones fit can help.
The chicks can be very smart about how not to get pecked. I have seen my chicks push right between safe hens, but completely stay out of range of hens the occasional peck a chick.

 

[GeekiTurtle]

No heat needed at that temperature. (I guess keeping birds cool is more of a concern for you).
Adding hiding places or places only the little ones fit can help.
The chicks can be very smart about how not to get pecked. I have seen my chicks push right between safe hens, but completely stay out of range of hens the occasional peck a chick.

This is my "coop" space with hanging feeder and drinker. Also got a nesting box but they're still too young to lay at the moment. This is we're I'm hoping to move the chicks in a week or so (going to add the chick feeder and baby bell drinkers. I'll also add some hidey holes so they can escape the bigger ones if needed. The teenagers used the nesting box to go to sleep but I'm training them to roost now.

Calling it chicken tetris because they all have specific wants.

This is the run space that i let them out into. Got another hanging drinker for clean water and some pot trays I've filled with water so they can wet their feet.

More of run space... there used to be a compost pile but now its a slight mound.

I've got 2 full adult hens and 1 rooster that stay outside and roost in the tree (adopted from somebody who didn't really train them so they're basically feral, minus the attacking you).

 

[debid]

I've mixed with 3 weeks of difference and what I saw was little ones get trampled on a bit but aren't viewed as a threat and are mostly disregarded. That changed my ideas about mixing. IMO, younger is better. I'd do it.

 

[Mrs. K]

I agree with debid. I would fence off a corner, put the baby chicks there, with feed and water. Leave them there for the morning. Let things calm down. Then, I would just lift the fencing off the ground a few inches. So the chicks can get out, and get in, but the bigger girls cannot. The chicks will explore on their terms, staying quite close to the safety zone at first, braver as time goes on.

Also add a pallet, laid flat in the middle of your run, up on top of some rocks or bricks, just lifted off the ground, set that away from the safety zone - just gives then another safety escape.

I too, get mine in the flock at about 3 weeks. At those temperatures they do not need heat, but do need wind protections and deep bedding.

Pictures can be deceiving, but what is more than enough room for chicks, rapidly becomes not enough room for full grown chickens. By my count, you have 32 birds. That is going to need quite a bit of space, or you can get very ugly behaviors. For 32 birds, I would want a run of at least 320 square feet, so 16 feet by 20 feet? If problems start to happen, it might be your space.

Do know that being raised together, or let out to free range a couple of hours a day, do not make up for a lack of space. Just pay attention.

MRs K

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've got a flock of 10 week olds (14 of then) and I've got a flock of 3 week olds (18 of them).

Is it possible to mix the 2 flocks at this age or is 3 weeks old too young? Or is the age gap too big? And if I do mix the 2 what are some concerns I should look out for?

Is it possible? Yes, it is possible. It might work, it might not.

Concerns:

Sometimes the older will kill the younger. It could be just one of the older will actively search out a younger to kill or they could operate in a mob. A lot of this has to do with the personality of the older and you cannot tell that until you try.

Sometimes they mingle very well but often they form two separate flocks. If the younger get too close to the older they might get pecked, so they soon learn to keep their distance both during the day and at night. They need enough room to avoid the older. If they don't have enough room to run away if they get pecked (a warning to get away from me) or enough room to stay away when the older flock is wandering around then they can't take that warming and get away so the older can continue pecking.

A peck to warn them away isn't a big deal as long as the chick runs away. If you see a chick getting its head continually pecked that is a critical situation. Pecking a hole in the skull is how they kill them. If you see that behavior, stop it immediately.

The more room you have the better, both during the day and at night. Adding clutter can greatly improve the value of what room you have. Clutter means things they can get under, behind, or over to help break line-of-sight. You do not want them to get trapped so make sure they have a way to escape if they get chased.

Having separate feeding and watering stations can help so the young can eat and drink without being bullied by the older. This does not mean separated by only 1 meter. It means very widely separated, maybe in the coop and in the run. It really helps if you have clutter to break line of sight between the feeders and waterers. I have a feeder and a waterer in the coop, two more feeders and two waterers widely separated in the run.

I'd suggest housing the younger where the older can see them for about a week so they can get used to each other before you turn them loose. Hopefully you already have that. This gives you an immediate place to put them if it doesn't work out where they can still see each other. Then turn them loose to mingle one morning when you can be around to observe.

People do this successfully but sometimes chicks die. I've had broody hens wean their chicks at three weeks, leave them alone with the flock to make their own way. The flock included adults and teenagers. You don't get guarantees one way or the other with living animals but you have a decent chance at success. I'd try it.

Good luck!