Here's the situation. I have 15 1 month old chicks (13 hens and 2 roosters). They probably have to go out next week because I'm going on vacation and I'm not sure if I want to ask her to care for my baby chicks, so I was going to put them in the coop with my older ones. I have 624 square feet of space, 256 feet at night. I'll tell you everything about every bird so you can see if they will all cooperate.
1 month old Chicks: 3 Cochin hens, 3 Buff Orpington hens, 2 White Leghorn hens, 2 Barred Rock hens, 2 Easter Egger hens, 1 Black Australorp hen, 1 New Hampshire rooster, 1 Rhode Island Red rooster. Everything is calm and tame except for the RIR and the 2 Barred Rocks.
2 month old chick: 1 EE/? cross hen. Docile, but picked on.
3 month old chicks: 2 Silver Laced Wyandotte hens. They occasionally pick on the younger chick, but they are usually okay.
Adult chickens: 2 Buff Orpington hens. They peck any lower chicken (they are on top of the order besides the rooster) if they are in the Orps' bubbles. 1 New Hampshire hen. Calm and nice, a good pet. Good with newbies. 3 Rhode Island Red hens. Very aggressive towards any chickens lower on the order, often chasing them. This is my main concern with introducing my chicks.1 Black Australorp hen. She is nice and always perches with the little chickens. I am proud of her. 1 Golden Laced Wyandotte hen. She is generally nice, only an occasional peck. 1 Delaware Rooster. He occasionally chases a younger chicken, but won't pursue much or cause damage.
2 month old duck: 1 Black Swedish female: She hatched out with my 2 month old chick and they hang out together all the time (I even put her on the perch with the chick during the night). She is no concern, just listing her.
3 month old ducks: 1 male and 1 female Khaki Campbell, 1 male and 1 female Buff duck, 2 Rouen males, 2 Pekin females, 1 Runner female. None of them are any concern, because them and the chickens just stay away from each other.
Adult Ducks: 2 Black Swedish female and 1 Black Swedish male. They stay away from the chickens and only would reach their bill out at one if it was too close to the water when they were drinking it.
3 month old geese: 1 African Gander and 1 African Goose. This is my only other major concern. These geese are territorial and run at anything that gets too close to them. They defend my 3 month old ducks. They are very helpful because they have defended my whole flock (ducks and chickens) from raccoon attacks. The coon is dead now finally, so I'm happy.
Either way, can I trust my RIR and the geese with my young chicks.
1 month old Chicks: 3 Cochin hens, 3 Buff Orpington hens, 2 White Leghorn hens, 2 Barred Rock hens, 2 Easter Egger hens, 1 Black Australorp hen, 1 New Hampshire rooster, 1 Rhode Island Red rooster. Everything is calm and tame except for the RIR and the 2 Barred Rocks.
2 month old chick: 1 EE/? cross hen. Docile, but picked on.
3 month old chicks: 2 Silver Laced Wyandotte hens. They occasionally pick on the younger chick, but they are usually okay.
Adult chickens: 2 Buff Orpington hens. They peck any lower chicken (they are on top of the order besides the rooster) if they are in the Orps' bubbles. 1 New Hampshire hen. Calm and nice, a good pet. Good with newbies. 3 Rhode Island Red hens. Very aggressive towards any chickens lower on the order, often chasing them. This is my main concern with introducing my chicks.1 Black Australorp hen. She is nice and always perches with the little chickens. I am proud of her. 1 Golden Laced Wyandotte hen. She is generally nice, only an occasional peck. 1 Delaware Rooster. He occasionally chases a younger chicken, but won't pursue much or cause damage.
2 month old duck: 1 Black Swedish female: She hatched out with my 2 month old chick and they hang out together all the time (I even put her on the perch with the chick during the night). She is no concern, just listing her.
3 month old ducks: 1 male and 1 female Khaki Campbell, 1 male and 1 female Buff duck, 2 Rouen males, 2 Pekin females, 1 Runner female. None of them are any concern, because them and the chickens just stay away from each other.
Adult Ducks: 2 Black Swedish female and 1 Black Swedish male. They stay away from the chickens and only would reach their bill out at one if it was too close to the water when they were drinking it.
3 month old geese: 1 African Gander and 1 African Goose. This is my only other major concern. These geese are territorial and run at anything that gets too close to them. They defend my 3 month old ducks. They are very helpful because they have defended my whole flock (ducks and chickens) from raccoon attacks. The coon is dead now finally, so I'm happy.
Either way, can I trust my RIR and the geese with my young chicks.
