putting babies out with bigger babies

[shellybean40]

Okay, I have 7 banties in the coop, they are 9 weeks old. I also have 4 regular size chicks that are 4 weeks old in a brooder in my house. I have an incubator full of eggs, so I am trying to figure out what to do with the little ones, since I only have the one brooder. SO! Hubby bought me a large Rabbit cage, the kind that sits on the ground. I was thinking they could be in the pen in their own cage with their own food and water for a while. The problem is, sleeping inside the coop. The Rabbit cage will be too cumbersome to move, but they need protection from the older ones in the coop at night, right? I have a rather large parakeet cage, which I could fix up for them at night-would that work for a while?
By the way, temps have been in the high 80's to low 90's during the day, and mid 70's at night. The coop has been staying very warm at night. I have tried introducing them, and it was a disaster!! The older ones were so mean, I almost did not recognize them!!

 

[shellybean40]

I meant to say the parakeet cage would go in the coop at night for them to sleep in for protection. Sorry

 

[shellybean40]

Anyone?????

 

[silkydragon]

i always do it

 

[bantyshanty]

Your temps at night sound dfine, provided they can pile together.

I have a lot of bantam chicks of different ages, all about 6 weeks apart in age, groups of about 7 per bunch, and here's what I do to get them to sleep together:
I put them near each other during the day with a screen between them, for 3-4 days. This screen can be hardware cloth or, with a small enough run, a storm door screen or whatever. then they can watch each other & hear each other to get acquainted. Then I give them a few half hour play dates in the run together, with plenty of places for the little ones to hide. Then I turn lights out on all of them at night, with the older ones in their pen (no coop yet --garage), and the younger ones in their rabbit cage. Then an hour after lights out ( or dark), I putt all the little ones in with the big ones and they're fine 'cause they're sleepy. They sleep together in a pile, and just after it gets light, I move the babies out again to their safe place.

Does this help?

The birds all like to sleep together for safety, and when they're tired, they sort of forget pecking order, at least the silkies, Polish, cochins, & D'anvers I'm raising do.

 

[KKatknap]

I think your plan sounds good. Separate but together. That's always a good way to go.

 

[shellybean40]

That really helps!! Thanks everyone-we will start tomorrow and see how it goes!!