4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[mrs chook]

My two younger girls are 17wks old and I know that advice is to leave until 22 wks.

 

This will coincide with the end of the school hols when i go back to work. And there was me thinking I was doing a good job getting them to mix in time for the hols.

 

At the moment I have two eglus and runs side by side. The young ones are sorting out their order I think, I have seen a bit of argy bargy, ruffled necks, two footed launching general little spats.

 

We are away for a few days twice in mid and end of august. I am wondering whether I should put them all together to freerange whilst I am around alot now and not going away for a while or wait.

 

The littlies are freeranging now, but then the oldies aren't chuffed at being kept in. But it seems they all want to be out and about, I don't know whether to just get the mixing over with. Or tell them to stop showing off and wait

 

I am worried about doing it too early, but also about them getting 'cabin pressure' if cooped up 24/7 for several days at a time.

 

BY THE WAY - They are all about the same size now.

 

I have both eglus and runs in a huge enclosure so there is plenty of room.

Edited July 27, 2008 by Guest

[superjules]

mrs chook, you could try letting them freerange together and take your decision based on that, but personally, I would wait. They may look the same size, but under the feathers I bet you'd be surprised how much smaller they are than your older girls.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[Olly]

If I'm understanding correctly, you've got an enclosed run, with the Eglus and runs inside it?

 

I'd let them free-range together under your supervision, and just see how it goes. If there are problems, then you can just go back to plan 'A' and separate them for a bit longer; if it seems to be going well, then you can probably relax. If they have been side-by-side for a while some of the initial shouting and squawking will be out of the way.

 

If they are more or less the same size, it should be ok - keep an eye on things just to make sure. Much nicer if you can integrate them while you're around - fingers crossed that they will sort themselves out quite quickly.

[ubereglu]

Let them free range together in the evenings, when they're a little more docile and gradually lengthen the time they are let to free range together. Once they seem to be getting on with each other stick them in the same eglu at night and take them out in the morning, do this for a few days and then just leave them to go with the bigger ones when you think they're ready.

[mrs chook]

Yeah they are in two eglus with runs alongside in the big enclosure.

 

They did a bit of 'ooooooooooooh' and clucking etc. the first time they really got near, about two weeks or so ago.

 

Now they are fine next to each other and are all generally very quiet, apart from when they see me, or get left in the eglu while the other pair roam.

[mrs chook]

Yeah they are in two eglus with runs alongside in the big enclosure.

 

They did a bit of 'ooooooooooooh' and clucking etc. the first time they really got near, about two weeks or so ago.

 

Now they are fine next to each other and are all generally very quiet, apart from when they see me, or get left in the eglu while the other pair roam.

 

They have been next to each other in full view for two weeks.

[Helen&Lee]

I would let them free range together to see how they get on.

 

With mine there was a bit of chasing, a headbutt, a bit of noise ( OK Bertha took a week to stop bokking loudly. ) but no serious pecking.

 

My two Speckledy's were 17 - 18 weeks when they went in with the original girls.

 

You can see how it goes and always go back to separating them if it all looks too nasty.