What age to put chicks in with 2 older hens?

[san415]

I have 4 standard chicks and 3 bantam chicks in the house right now. I need advice for when they can be together in the run and in the big coop? My web page shows my coop and run. Maybe I need to section an area off and put my small tiny coop in for my bantams? But I want them to share the big coop and run when they are able to.
They are 2 weeks old right now, I hope in 2 more weeks I can get them outside during the day and in at night. Then in 2 more weeks after that I hope to have them outside day and night.
I have the 4 standards in one brooder box and the bantams in a second brooder box. The only time they are together is when I clean the brooders. Then they all go in one while I clean the other. The chicks seem fine together so far, though its only for a few minutes.
Any ideas as to how I should do this?
Thanks Sandra

 

[kimb]

why don't you have the bantams with the standards? (if there is enough room for them in one brooder box - I'd just put them all together - as long as the standards aren't aggressive at them) ... They're all going to be together at some point anyway - might as well start now...

That said ... once they're feathered you can section off a small area in the coop (I'd probably pull out some of the totes for the time being and fence off under their roost (just staple some chicken wire or 1" wire across it) or you can make a removable divider by making a frame to fit and then staple chicken wire to that (pretty simple - that's how all my doors are built

)... you can easily secure the door on both sides using a sliding lock or a hook and eye lock ..... but I digress - once they're old enough to go out in the coop - keep them separated for at least a week - this way the younger chicks can get a feel for the dynamics of the coop safely - and the big chickens can get used to them being around... after a week you can try to let them all out together - but you might even want to go longer ! ... or you might want to let them out during the day together and then secure them in their area at night ...

It's trial and error and always different with different chickens...

my standard cochins fit right in my exisiting flock @ 8 weeks old... but my d'uccles and silkie i've kept separate at night for 5+ months now to assure their safety.

Good Luck !

 

[san415]

Thanks. Thats a great idea to make a panel to fit under the roost. I can make some removable sections the same way to make a penned off area in the run. better safe than sorry. I have the extra, or I mean my husband does, have the extra wood in our garage. And I might just need more hardware cloth.
They are in separate brooders because I think they are too small for 7 chicks. But I could maybe work something out so that I don't have to get the chicks used to each other and then also get the hens used to all the chicks.

 

[kimb]

Good Luck

... if the weather is ok... you could even secure a heat lamp under the roost of your regular coop and put them out there as soon as it's ready ...

 

[Lollipop]

Sandra, chickens are very territorial, starting at a young age. Your best bet would be to put all the chicks together now, before theyget too used to their buddies and figure out the other chicks are strangers. Bantams may be smaller,but they are quite fiesty and able to cope with larger chicks. To introduce them to the older hens, make sure they are at least 8-10 weeks old or older and with PLENTY of room to run from the older ones, that WILL resent their presence. Good luck......Pop

 

[san415]

Thank You Kimb and Thank you Pop
OK I cut a hole, using my husbands tools from the garage. He is on the road. It was hard to cut the plastic. Had to drill holes and then use some heavy scissor type thing. But got it done. Then I connected both of the large plastic tubs with a cardboard tunnel I made from doubling up a heavy box. The box fits in the hole at both ends real real tight but I still taped it to the outside just to make sure it stays put. so now all chicks are together. I hope they use both sides of the brooder now. So far I have put them into the tunnel a few times to show them what it's for. I put the food into one side and the water into the other side. They seem to get along great so far, they are all 2 weeks old, so they're the same age.
And I looked at my coop, I can workout sectioning the inside and the run to get them used the big hens in a few weeks.

 

[kimb]

 

[san415]

Hi Kimb
I hope you see this, I took your advise and moved the totes in the coop and then put some wire under the poop board and made it safe for the chicks. Last night I put the chicks out there. I checked on them a couple of times, seemed like they were fine and sure nough they seem great this morning. They have more room and now the two big hens can get used to them. Thank You for encouraging me to take that step. Wasn't as hard as I thought it would be either. I just started piecing the wire on and securing it all and got it done in no time.