Will my bigger chickens harm or kill my babies???

[baldie]

Hey everyone!! I have 40 hens and roos that are around 5 months old and I have 5 chicks that are 10 weeks old. I wanted to introduce the babies to the big ones before winter and get them used to the coop so I built a little cage thing in the coop that only they can fit in through. But every time they try to come out of their cage, the big ones all go after them. I know about the pecking order, but they are so tine compared to the big ones, I am even afraid they could harm them by stepping on them. I also had a bad experience with my favorite roo Baldie, he was attacked when he little and they pecked a bunch of his feathers off, end even gave him big cuts. I seperated him and now he is far from bald and very healthy. Will my babies be okay if they wander out of their little cage thing? I left an opening so thye could out if htey want.

 

[The Chicken Lady]

I think your chicks are too young to be integrated just yet. If you want to, build the babies a separate enclosure in the chicken coop with some chicken wire. That way, they'll be able to talk to one another, but no one will get pecked to death or crushed.

 

[Gloria]

Hi, whenever I add new chicks I just put them in the brooder inside the coop for a few weeks. I leave them in there at night so everyone can get to know each other. I let the grown ups out in the morning and shut the doors. Then let the little ones out, to stay in the coop and the run. That way they can't get picked on.

I have six 9 weeks old pullets, we are just starting to go outside with the grownups now. It's going along pretty well this way. This is our 2nd week out. The grownups go on about their business and the little ones stay near the coop. I still check on them a lot though. Just to be sure everyone is doing fine.

BTW, Welcome to our little forum!

 

[baldie]

yeah, I used a metal dog type fence and put chicken wire over it. But I left alittle space, enough for only them to fit in and out of it. I could close it up all the way, if you guys think this will be better. Thats a good idea to put the big ones outside, but we already do that for some of our chickens who are scared to death of every little thing. They NEVER go out in the run, so we open the copp door and let only those 6 free range. Could I let the little ones out with only the 6 or would this be a bad idea also?

 

[Gloria]

I kept mine inside the brooder for probably a week day and night. Then the 2nd week I let the grownups out and shut the little ones in the coop and run for another week. 3rd week I started letting them outside with the grownups.

This is week 4 and they are doing fine outside with everyone else. The only problem I have is when the grownups know the little ones are eating. So I try to stand guard over them until they are done eating. Just to make sure they get enough because the grownups will peck them out of their way. I'll probably do this for a few more days, maybe another week. By then they should be old enough to handle it on their own without me.

Have you shown them the door to the run? I just set them in the doorway so they can see that's outside, and they usually get it pretty quick. The first few times you might have to round them back up and bring them in yourself. After that they come in when they see me come in and turn the light on.
How long have you had them?

 

[Cason]

If you have a live trap, you can also put them inside that.