Mixing everyone together

[2BD4C10C]

I have 14 laying hens & have chicks that are 8 weeks & 4 weeks old. When will it be alright to mix them together? We do have hawks here as well and right now the chicks are in a separate area totally enclosed but they are getting crowded. The 8 and 4 week olds are all together.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I start my integrating at around 8-10 weeks, after the chicks are done with extra heat. All integrations should start with penning the new ones within sight for a week or two, than supervised mingling until the older ones mostly ignore the young ones. Keep the young ones separate at night until you are comfortable leaving them together.

 

[cottontail farm]

This is good advice. I start introduction as soon as the younger batch is feathered out and goes outside. I use a temp fence to partition off the young birds until everyone is ignoring everyone else then I let them mix. Usually everyone is just interested in what the other group is eating. Eventually the little chickens decide they are all grown up and start wanting to overnight in the main coop. I've never had a problem this way.

 

[2BD4C10C]

At what age are Hawks no longer a serious threat?

 

[burdboy]

N

At what age are Hawks no longer a serious threat?

never

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

For us, hawks don't bother my chickens, for others they are a problem. Hawks can always be a concern, it helps to provide extra cover for birds, mine stick to the tree line and shrubs. When venturing into open fields it helps to have roosters keep watch.

 

[2BD4C10C]

The one hawk I have seen occasionally has never bothered my hens. I live in East TN. so the hawks we have here is the Coopers Hawk it is about the size of a crow or possibly the Red Shouldered Hawk not 100% sure. Our chickens are in a tree covered area not sure if that is helpful or not?