Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Guest]

my olds chickens 20 weeks old are already in today we put 6 week old ones in and the big ones keep attacking them can i do anything

[Mrs Frugal]

Do not put young chicks with adult hens or they will kill them! Please remove them now. You can't put chicks with older hens until they are of a similar size or they can't defend themselves. Keep the youngsters separately until they are around 16 weeks of age THEN put them together.

[Snowy]

I agree with Kate - you must take them out straightaway! Keep them seperate until about 16 weeks old

[Lesley]

and I have to agree as well! They are far too young to put in with older hens!

[ubereglu]

Separate them by putting them into a different run and housing set up. They really are too young to go with your POL hens.

 

However they can wander around with the others once they are about 12 weeks old, but don't let them live together until they're on the same food at about 16-18 weeks.

[Egluntyne]

they can wander around with the others once they are about 12 weeks old

 

This is not without risk so I would follow the advice of Kate, Lesley and Snowy who are very experienced and keep them completely separate until 16 weeks.

 

There is quite a difference in size between 12 and 16 weeks and they are in a much better position to stand up for themselves at 16 weeks.

[Snowy]

I had a couple at 12 weeks and still would not have put them with the big ones - there was still a very big size difference. After watching each other through the bars for a few weeks, they did finally meet, but they were about 16 weeks, and actually 22 weeks when they all started living together!

[Tara.F]

and does this rule apply when the chicks have their mum with them?

will I have to keep her and the chicks completely away from the others for as long?

[Snowy]

and does this rule apply when the chicks have their mum with them?

will I have to keep her and the chicks completely away from the others for as long?

 

I honestly don't know Tara I am just going by my own experience of adding completely strange new chicks to an existing flock. There are others that have hatched under a broody who would be able to advise. I'm fairly sure I have read someones account of integrating a broody and her brood at an earlier age as the broody protects them, but don't quote me on that!

[chelsea]

we brought in 13 week old chickens last year and even at 13 weeks they were still too young and small to go with my remaining girls as the big girls would just bully them.

 

I would keep them seperate until they are almost POL and then supervise them when you eventually put them together.

 

Gradual is always the best.