a good age to mix babies and old gals?

chooknewbie · « **on:** November 07, 2008, 16:00 »

can anyone suggest what would be a good age to mix the not so baby babies, with the other mob down on the lottie... i would love to keep them here but lately the boys are starting to get a bit louder and i really dont want the neighbours to start complaining....typically my neighbours dont egg many eggs...!! so whenever i offer them they dont need any...so thats not gonna cut it this time...

they will be 13 weeks old this sunday

karlooben · « **Reply #1 on:** November 07, 2008, 16:56 »

hiya i have maran babies that are 7 weeks old now an are well feathered but i was told to wait until they are about 3 monnths old before they go in with tthe big girls . dont know how true that is :?:

Paddywack · « **Reply #2 on:** November 07, 2008, 19:20 »

Hi chooknewbie,

I put my chooks down the lotty as soon as they can cope with the weather I put them in a small run inside the main pen, after a week I let them into the main run that way they are introduced slowly.

They still get picked on but that’s just the older girls establishing pecking order.

Good luck with them

karlooben · « **Reply #3 on:** November 07, 2008, 19:26 »

mine are inclosed in a smaller run instead the large run but i wont mix them yet to me they seem to small although they have close on doubled in the few weeks that i have had them.

chooknewbie · « **Reply #4 on:** November 07, 2008, 19:43 »

i do have a smaller run, on the end of the main one but its not big enough to hold the 6 i will be putting in.... there are more new ones than old so thats something at least....

when do the cockrels start to get grumpy in each others company? cos at the mo i have two with 4 girls, and they seem to be ok...no in fighting....

Vember · « **Reply #5 on:** November 07, 2008, 19:46 »

I think the fighting will start as they reach maturity :?
Although I do know of some people that have two male birds that don't fight fight if you know what I mean :?
I think it all depends on the amount of ladies they have & space

Sarah

Foxy · « **Reply #6 on:** November 07, 2008, 21:05 »

Its a funny thing having cockerels together -I have found that if you have brothers together and a few hens then at some point they may fight for the top cock position. On the other hand, if you have an older cock -who is established then then younger cockerels will probably stay subservient to him and will not challenge him over his hens -anyway thats whats happened with mine! I have a bizarre situation in one run where Priscilla (an ancient pekin cock) manages his flock and he also has three other cockerels with him all younger -a large cochin, a faverolles and a buff orpington -yet despite being tiny he is the top cock!

so you see isn't always size that matters!!!

chooknewbie · « **Reply #7 on:** November 08, 2008, 17:52 »

lol...very good foxy.... wel...i have 6 chooks at home...not sure if they are all from the same father/mother etc as got them from a farmer who has loads of cocks and hens running about. I was really lucky and hatched two cocks and 4 hens, and up to now they are all still together. No fighting or anything as yet...they are 13 weeks now...when do they hit full maturity?

Fifitrix · « **Reply #8 on:** November 11, 2008, 22:08 »

Hello everyone, haven't been on here for a while. Hi Chookie!

I have 3 chickens & 3 adolesents (well they're now 20 weeks but still doing the odd teenage croak). I put the chicks in a run with the chickens @ 9 weeks and then let them out @ 12 weeks as they were all managing to get in and out of each other's pens anyway. The chickens still peck them now even thought the 'chicks' are twice the size of the chickens. I bought them a hutch each to sleep in but they like to mix and match with that too.

It's all good fun!

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a good age to mix babies and old gals?

Vember

Foxy