Mixing chicks

[RachelVT]

Hi there,
I have two sets of chicks, one group of 5 that are about 5 weeks olds and other group of 5 about 2 weeks old. They are both in separate brooders for the moment but will be sharing the coop, when its ready.

I was wondering how I should integrate them. I've read a lot on the website but am still confused. People say when they are similar in age they do fine together but they are really different size wise.

Any ideas? I was thinking of waiting to put them all in the coop at the same time when it's ready but the bigger. Ones are getting big for the brooder and the little ones seem too small to go into the coop, within the next few days. I was thinking of putting the big ones out in the coop and the little ones in the brooder in the coop with them. So they are together yet separate. My concern is during the day. What do i do about them roaming the run? I only have one run so I'm not sure thy can be in there together.

All your advice would be awesome thanks!

 

[kindir]

I have chicks that were hatched about 8 weeks ago mixed in with some that were hatched 3 weeks ago. Haven't had the slightest problem at all. I thought for sure that there would be a problem but I kept an eye on them and if anything the older chicks were more worried about the younger ones!

 

[elmo]

I wouldn't say that 5 week old chicks are about the same age as 2 week old chicks; developmentally, they're quite different. Two week olds still need some kind of supplemental heat, for example, while the 5 week olds are probably fine without it.

When your younger chicks are 5 weeks old, and the older ones are 8 weeks might be a better time to let them mix, supervised. In the meantime, you could rig up some kind of smaller pen inside your run for the younger chicks.