When can new chicks be with older chicks

[Kchicken1988]

Hello… So right now I have two separate Chicken runs, that can eventually be turned into one. I have my older chicks on one side and baby chicks on the other. They’ve been separated for over a week now
I’m confused on when they can be together because of the whole needing to be on separate foods. Do I need to keep them separated until the chicks are ready to be on layer feed or what can I do?
It’s just twice as much work to have them separated, that’s why I would like them to be together

 

[swamphiker]

About how old is each set of chicks?

 

[Kchicken1988]

My older hens are 1.5 years old.
new chicks 5 weeks

 

[cmom]

When the young birds are closer to the same size you can integrate them but I wouldn't until then. You can try anytime and see how it goes but be prepared to separate them should you need to. The older birds will try to establish a pecking order and may hurt the youngsters. Good luck and have fun...

 

[GoldpartridgeHen]

Wait till the 5 wk chicks are about 10 wks old before adding them with the hens, so they can defend themselves if they are attacked

That being said, they shouldn't be attacked if they have been visible to each other for weeks, but it is a precaution

 

[Kchicken1988]

Ok... but what do I do about their food? What do they all need to be on?

 

[GoldpartridgeHen]

Ok... but what do I do about their food? What do they all need to be on?

Chicks should be on chick starter feed, hens on layers feed

 

[Kchicken1988]

Chicks should be on chick starter feed, hens on layers feed

Lol. So that’s my big question. How do I do that WHEN I put them all together. Because chicks should be on starter food until they are 16-18 weeks.

 

[GoldpartridgeHen]

Lol. So that’s my big question. How do I do that WHEN I put them all together. Because chicks should be on starter food until they are 16-18 weeks.

sorry!!
You can either keep them seperated for 16 wks or so and feed them their respective feeds
or you can feed them all chick starter when you put them in together - although this won't be dangerous for your hens, it isn't ideal if you sell your eggs or eat a lot of them yourself)

Neither solution is ideal, but they are the only ones i can think of

 

[cmom]

I give my chicks starter feed until they are around 8 weeks old then I switch them to grower pellets which the company I get my feed makes and when they start to lay I switch over to layer feed. You can feed the younger birds starter/grower feed until they start laying then switch over to layer. Good luck and have fun.