When chicks decide they are big chickens!

[nakedneckmom]

We recently decided to expand our flock from 3 hens to 6 hens and a rooster. We originally acquired the three naked-neck hens around Christmas when they were given to family members who didn't want them. So we estimate they are around 9 months old now. The new chicks (we got them when they were 2 days old through Ideal) are now about 6 weeks old and we moved them into a coop within our big coop about 2.5 weeks ago. So two days ago they escaped their little coop and went into the big coop with the older hens. Everyone seems ok, two of the hens are being territorial and chasing the little ones around, but it never goes further (and the babies just run away). We altered the little coop so the little ones can run in and the hens cannot (so the babies still go hang out and eat their food and have their own water, and sleep in their little house). Last night, however, the chicks decided they were big chickens and that they should sleep in the big coop and were desperately trying to get in around dusk. But as you will see from the pictures below our coop is raised and I don't know how our hens would like the intruders. The little chicks eventually (on accident) made their way up and the big chickens didn't really seem to mind, but we were uncomfortable and physically moved the chicks back into their home and put a towel over their outside roost because they refused to go into their house-for no apparent reason.

The point and question! Should we let chickens be chickens and if they have decided they are old enough to go into the big coop they should and so be it. Or should be make them stay in their little house longer due to the possibility of the hens being mean?

Thanks!

The big coop-The Tree House (they sleep to the right and the enclosed area to the left is the nest box area). The chicks have not figured out the ramp so they were hopping around on the roof of their little house trying to get up!

The Baby Coop: its a bad picture but they have an insulated little room at the back, and its situated right below the big coop

Ramona: one of the chicks

Vlad: our baby rooster!

Gertie: the resident guard chicken and the one who is chasing the babies the most!

Thanks!

 

[HorseCrazyy]

Hmmm I'd have to go with the chicks. If they wanna be big chicks, so be it. They will learn their lesson if the big chicks get up set. If things do get out of hand....take them out but besides that they should be fine. They just want to be like the bigger chicks.

 

[Panth]

I agree....let them be chickens. As long as they have a way to actually get away when the bigger ones chase them you shouldn't have any trouble at all. Now if they are locked in a really small space with the adults with no way to run away, that could be bad. But I put my 3 week old with my adults and have a HUGE coop and have never had any problems....they love perching just the the adults and the adults show them when and where to go in at night and where perching is safe. It is a win-win situation.

 

[HorseCrazyy]

Exactly what I'm thinking. If they have plenty of room, they will all have their separate sides.

 

[IloveBuffy]

The first few weeks, I put my day old baby chicks in a spot where they could see, be seen, slip in and out of the safe zone, and can't be pecked. The safe zone was chicken wire wrapped around two trees with a small hole cut in it so they could get in and out, but the older ones couldn't. And when they got older and bigger, I let them be independent with the others (with supervision) for a couple minutes.