Should I separate my younger chick from older new chicks?

[bugladynora]

Hi,
I was thinking about raising chickens again, my family had some when we were kids. Then by happenstance we were adopted by a stray chick that my boys fell in love with. The chick was just starting to get feathers on it's wings that was about a month ago. My four year old named it Trigger.

We built it a coop, about 8' x 4' and the kids play with it and then we put it back in the coop when we aren't outside since I am a worrywort.

Then my dad got us some more chickens from the fair. It was suppossed to be just a few but it is 8 more. They are nine weeks old and at least twice as big as Trigger and of course he is the low chick in the pecking order.

We are going to build a bigger coop over the next couple of days, and when we get it done I am wondering if Trigger needs to stay in the big coop or stay in his small one more.

Also my "yard" fence is only about 4 ft tall and I wonder if letting the chickens out during the day is a good thing. We have lots of room, but I am not sure the neighbors dog stays penned up well, I have seen it roaming around some.

 

[ozark hen]

Welcome,

I would keep the single bird separate, in a fenced off section of the new coop so the other birds can see/hear it for a few weeks before turning it loose with the others. Put some poultry netting over the top of the run and you are good to go. Sorry, I see it is your "yard" fence. Can the neighbor's dog get in there? They will be able to fly over a four foot fence. You might need to build them an enclosed run?

 

[bugladynora]

Thanks, we are building a better run and coop. Unfortunately since the new chickens were given with out any notice the first night I didn't have any way to separate them. However they seem to be doing okay, now on day three.

I'll may try letting the chickens out in the yard when we are home more and see about just keeping them in a night. My fence won't keep them in at all, so I am hoping they will come in for food, since I don't want to chase them everywhere.