Nervous about mixed flocks

[c4wilson]

So this story has a pretty happy ending i figured that was worth sharing - for anyone who has issues with chickens eating eggs.

For about a month we moved the younger generation to a friends house with a lot more space (empty coop that is made for 25+ chickens). After a few days they stopped eating eggs. (One of the 4 died but we believe for unrelated reasons). When I moved them home, I had split our coop into two halves and doubled the run. If you look at the coop and run from far away, it looks like a single unit, but it is actually divided in half. The chickens have been fine ever since.

In retrospect I probably should have waited longer to merge them, added more space, or kept them separate permanently, but I'm obviously still learning.

Thanks for all the input.

 

[aart]

In retrospect I probably should have waited longer to merge them, added more space

More space is always good....
but I've found that integrating younger is easier....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

 

[Mrs. K]

I agree with Art, mine are starting the process at 3 weeks. However, I have my set up so that they can ‘bow to the queen’ by getting out of sight and away from who they are irritating. However, my chicks also have a safety zone they can enter at any time. A one way opening in all directions that a bigger hen cannot follow. The small chick can go through like water. The chicks are fed in the safety zone.

I always have two or three feed station each out of sight of the others, two behind a small ‘walls’ short pieces just tall enough to get behind.

A lot of try, fail, try again.

Mrs K

H