OK, guys...Should I combine my two flocks - need input!

[Kelly G]

I have four barred rocks that are nearly one year old...and I have about 30 pullets that are all about 20 weeks old (and have begun laying

)

I'm really tired of keeping up after two seperate flocks...and the large coop is plenty big enough to house all the chickens together. I also want to use the smaller coop as a nursery for the next bunch of chicks I want to grow out. Currently the two flocks are housed right next to eachother and can see eacother all day long, but have seperate runs/coops.

What are your thoughts?

 

[hikerchick]

I keep everyone together. I haven't had any problems.

 

[Chicky Tocks]

I'm in exactly the same situation as you. I'm getting mixed opinions.

 

[Uppity Peon]

Yup, combine them. It will be interesting to see how it works out politically. I doubt there will be any real problems.

 

[Thomas423]

The four older ones will be added to the 30 - 20 wo's, right?
I think it might work. There will be pecking but they are equal in size. Also expect a little fighting for a spot on the roosts. The 20 wo's have already established their spots and might not want to give up any space.

We expanded our roosts when we added 6 leghorns to the flock (of 12). The older girls still have their spots and they make sure that the leghorns stay on their own roost. But all went well.

 

[Mahonri]

Usually by the time they hit 16 weeks, you can integrate.

 

[chicksalot]

I combined my 'gang of 10' (then 8wks old) and another group of 6 (mixed ages from 10 wks to 16wks) each group had been there own flock. I let them share the run and coop for 4 days separted by welded fencing...they see each other, yet cannot fight. 5th day I removed the fencing & they have co-existed ever since...wasn't the horrible 'pecking order shuffle' I expected at all!

 

[eggchel]

I would put them in the same coop. There will be a few squabbles at first, but they get over it pretty quickly.

 

[MariposaMama]

I had the same, good experience. I had 16 adults on one side of the wire fence and 22 pullets on the other. They spent about six weeks getting to know each other that way. Once I rehomed 2 of the 5 adult roos, I opened a section of the fence so the pullets could go back and forth. Caught me by surprise when the adult roos figured out how to duck under to the pullets side, but there wasn't any problem. After almost a week like that I took out the separator fence completely and they are all getting along great. The adult hens will tell the pullets to move, but as long as they do it ends there and there hasn't been any real agression. So far they are still sleeping in their own coops, but I imagine that will change in time, too. I am quite pleased and a little amazed that the integration went so well after some of the stories I've read here. Glad I was one of the lucky ones, hope you are too.

 

[Kim_NC]

I've always had good luck with combining flocks when the youngsters are somewhere between 16 - 20 weeks. At that age they stop making "chick noises"....changing to clucking instead of peeping, etc. And by that time they are about the same size as older adults.

I like to put them in side-by-side coop spaces where they can see each other for a couple weeks before the 'merge'.