Putting younger chicks in the coop with older ones

[mldlm]

Help, please! My 5 week old chicks are in the coop…separated from my 15 week chicks by a cage in the coop. They have their own food and water. I have had them out there all day and there has been some lukewarm attention from older girls, but they can’t get to them. Is it ok to leave them there overnight? A little nervous about this but I know it has to happen.

 

[3KillerBs]

Yes, if their space is dry and out of the wind then they're fine overnight in the coop.

 

[aart]

Yes, they need to be out there 24/7 for a couple-few weeks before opening the crate just enough that the littles can get in and out and the older birds cannot get in.

 

[Ridgerunner]

If you are talking about weather, in northeast Florida with the weather we've been having they could have been out there for a couple of weeks. You have no worries whatsoever about weather as long as you keep them safe from rain and strong winds.

If you are talking about integrating them, turning them loose with the older ones, we need to talk. There are different ways to go about that, to a large part depending on how much room you have and what it looks like. We can give you some generic suggestions but I'd have to know what you have to work with before I can give you specific suggestions as to what might work in your specific situation. But as long as they are locked up safe from the older ones they are fine.

I see I'm a day late to this, what did you do and how did it go.

 

[mldlm]

I

If you are talking about weather, in northeast Florida with the weather we've been having they could have been out there for a couple of weeks. You have no worries whatsoever about weather as long as you keep them safe from rain and strong winds.

If you are talking about integrating them, turning them loose with the older ones, we need to talk. There are different ways to go about that, to a large part depending on how much room you have and what it looks like. We can give you some generic suggestions but I'd have to know what you have to work with before I can give you specific suggestions as to what might work in your specific situation. But as long as they are locked up safe from the older ones they are fine.

I see I'm a day late to this, what did you do and how did it go.

I have them in a “coop” with food and water where they can be seen by the older girls, but not touched. I was going to leave them in the big gir coop last night in a similar situation. However, I decided to bring them back in to the brooder overnight. I will repeat this for another week and then start with having them in the area pictured below with a little opening for them to get in and out but keeps the big ones out. After a week of that, I am thinking they will be ready to coexist.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I have them in a “coop” with food and water where they can be seen by the older girls, but not touched. I was going to leave them in the big gir coop last night in a similar situation. However, I decided to bring them back in to the brooder overnight.

Why? Why not leave them out there?

I will repeat this for another week and then start with having them in the area pictured below with a little opening for them to get in and out but keeps the big ones out. After a week of that, I am thinking they will be ready to coexist.

It's worth a try. Just try to check on them to see how it is going.

 

[3KillerBs]

However, I decided to bring them back in to the brooder overnight.

Why?

 

[mldlm]

Why?

We live in a heavily wooded area with many nocturnal predators. I was concerned about their safety. However, I realize my older girls are in there and nice and safe…maybe I was worried for nothing. The bigger girls are getting used to the little ones being around, but not enough for them to be in contact with them. Wow, I feel like my own kids are little again. Think I am over worrying?

 

[3KillerBs]

We live in a heavily wooded area with many nocturnal predators. I was concerned about their safety. However, I realize my older girls are in there and nice and safe…maybe I was worried for nothing. The bigger girls are getting used to the little ones being around, but not enough for them to be in contact with them. Wow, I feel like my own kids are little again. Think I am over worrying?

If the coop is secure and the chicks can't get out then it's fine to have them out there at night.

 

[mldlm]

This is the set up I have for the chicks in the coop at night. The only other thing I can think of is to maybe put the cage up on something so it is not on the floor. Will this be secure enough? This is inside the coop. As you can see, the big girls like to get up on top of it, where I have put a piece of plywood to keep droppings out from the big girls. Any suggestions? Or is it good to go?