Mixing different ages

[Chick_a_dee]

My Easter Eggers are 14 weeks now, and I tried "mixing" them with the year old hens the other day just to see what would happen, I was there, and one of the big hens went in the little girl area and everything was going fine, the little girls really took to her! Then all of a sudden she pecked on on the neck! just out of nowhere.

I'm going to be waiting until 16 weeks to put the little girls in with the big girls, they're almost the same size now so thats not the concern its the pecking them that is a concern. How should I go about it? I don't have a lot of space to put in a mini brooder in there. Right now they can see each other through a chicken wire wall.

Should I slip the little girls in at night on the bottom rung of the roost (none of the hens use this) and spray them with no-peck? Last time when I put an injured hen back in, I sprayed her all over with no-peck and the other hens wanted nothing to do with her.

What should I do oh knowledgable chicken gods?!

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Just a little bump? ... I need some advice

 

[cicene mete]

A lot of people try a lot of methods, and it's hard to know which is best, but here's what we did:

First, we put the little ones and the big ones where they could see each other but were still separated by a fence. We kept this up for a few weeks. When the younger ones were about 12 weeks old, we made an opening that the little ones could get through but the big ones could not. This way, the little ones always had a way of escaping. For the first few times we integrated them, we monitored the situation and made sure that none of the big girls got too aggressive. After that, we left them to their own devices.

The little ones are now 16 weeks old, and so far, so good. The two groups still seem to congregate in their own flocks, but they interact more and more each day. I guess it just takes time.

I have also heard about the slipping in at night thing, but I would be afraid that I would not be there to monitor the situation if things got out of hand. Good luck. Everybody goes through this, and it never seems to be easy.

 

[Judy]

They are going to peck. If they don't draw blood, let them do their thing. If they do, separate.

Good site on integrating new birds:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-adding-to-your-flock

 

[cmom]

Every integration is different. The birds are all different. I would wait a couple of more weeks and as in the other posts, there will be some pecking as they establish their pecking order. It's ok unless they draw blood then you would need to separate them.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

I had considered spraying the little girls with no pick, the big girls seem very interested in them and when they do give the EE's some attention the EE's are all so very receptive... they follow them around like the big hens are their moms.

 

[Dearsrock]

Question on mixing ages & feed. Mine are getting along great when I let them out to "free range" the lawn. The hens (2 buffs) are about 6 months and laying. The younger ones are roughly 3 1/2 months. I read somewhere that it might be ok to put the older girls back on starter feed so they can all be together. It would give them significantly more room to roam when I'm not home if I put the two runs together.

I appreciate any feedback!

Thanks,
Renee
S CA.

 

[stephhassler]

I did exactly as described by cicene mete's post. Except I did it at about 6 weeks. All are integrated now with only an occasional peck. I have a second set of chick that are about 4 weeks. They are outside now in a pen where the others can see them, but can't touch. In another few weeks I'll lift up the bottom of the pen slightly so the little ones can get in and out, but the bigs ones cannot. A few weeks after that, all get mixed together.

 

[patandchickens]

I'd just wait til the EEs are a bit bigger and then try it. There will be pecking, they are chickens after all, just be around that day to keep an eye on it and step in if things get out of hand.

So are your pullets all pullets? I got 2 roos amongst my 6 "sexed pullet chicks". Harrumph. Jason was apologetic, and I did manage to offload one of the roos to a neighbor, but still. Hmph. You want a roo for your EEs by any chance? LOL

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Chick_a_dee]

As far as I know they are all pullets, no one has started crowing (and they're 14 weeks!) and no one has a manly look either

I might be in the market for a roo LOL I was considering breeding them cause they're just so darn cute.