Combining chicks in the big brooder at mixed ages

[tworedwellies]

I wanted to add a note since you mentioned moving the older chicks outside at 2-3 weeks . . . once they're integrated they should stay together so keep that in mind when you're deciding if you have the space to keep all chicks in the brooder until the youngest are ready to go outside.

oh nope, i actually didn't realize that!

My plan was that they'd get to know each other for a few weeks and then the older chicks would move outside and during the day I'd put the baby chicks in the dog kennel brooder but have it inside the run, and then they'd sleep separately at night... would that work?? Or is it better just to keep the older chicks inside for an extra 3-4 weeks?
Please advise, thanks!

 

[redinator]

oh nope, i actually didn't realize that!

My plan was that they'd get to know each other for a few weeks and then the older chicks would move outside and during the day I'd put the baby chicks in the dog kennel brooder but have it inside the run, and then they'd sleep separately at night... would that work?? Or is it better just to keep the older chicks inside for an extra 3-4 weeks?
Please advise, thanks!

A few questions so I, and others, have a better understanding of the situation:

Do you have other chickens already outside, or are these your first?

Do you have coop, or is it just the run? Could you take pictures of your setup outside?

Do you plan to free range, or keep the chickens in a run?

How old are all the new chicks and older chickens (if you have some outside already)

With more information we can provide better advice.

 

[thistlewick]

I just want to say that your brooder set up is lovely and the care and concern you're showing your new chicks is wonderful and admirable and the way you set everything up for success with this integration is just to be celebrated!

This place is honestly the best forum for wonderful advice and it's lovely to see someone so invested in learning and doing the best for their chickens.

Can you bring electric outside to run a lamp for the brooder when you want to move the bigs outside? Your idea for putting the crate in the run is fine, but the chicks just need heat until fully feathered at 5 weeks old (and if you wanted to get super technical, if it was winter or a mild climate, 8 weeks old)

I live in the brutally hot NC piedmont and it's already hotter than usual so my 5-8 week old chicks have been without heat (because I needed the brooder plate) for 2 weeks. They're fine.

I got another brooder plate, and don't even need it its been so warm at night. My infants, 1-2 weeks old, are brooded outside and don't even need it! They sleep next to it >< not under it lol

But not sure where you live -- you might want to add it in your profile!

 

[tworedwellies]

A few questions so I, and others, have a better understanding of the situation:

Do you have other chickens already outside, or are these your first?

Do you have coop, or is it just the run? Could you take pictures of your setup outside?

Do you plan to free range, or keep the chickens in a run?

How old are all the new chicks and older chickens (if you have some outside already)

With more information we can provide better advice.

Gotcha! These are our very first chickens, I have been waiting for like 6 years and now we finally have some!

My husband is still building the coop, so no pics yet! but it will have an attached run of 4'x32' (they will have an L shape area around a garage), plus an additional 5 ft for a compost devouring area, and then a little open air space around the coop... We live in Portland OR, so they won't be free range all day, but planning to have them free range a little in the evening before bedtime, since they will already be full from feed & treats & foraging in their run... hopefully they will be very happy! ((also planning chicken tunnel at a later date to another part of the yard (underneath my kiddo's playhouse)...)

So yes all new chicks... 4 Silkies, but we are pretty sure atleast 2 are Roos (based on comb size & behavior), so that's also why we have the other 2 chicks now... It was not my intention to get 4 silkies, i just wanted 1-2 plus some bigger gentle girls.. but the farm store lady convinced me to get 4 as the chances of them being Roos is 50%.. The other breeds were not available until later date, which is why I am in this situation! i might go ahead and DNA test them, as technically we can only have 4-5 hens total in the city.. we will see how it works out !

And yes, I can run an electrical cord out to have a heat lamp for the littles outside!

 

[redinator]

Gotcha! These are our very first chickens, I have been waiting for like 6 years and now we finally have some!

My husband is still building the coop, so no pics yet! but it will have an attached run of 4'x32' (they will have an L shape area around a garage), plus an additional 5 ft for a compost devouring area, and then a little open air space around the coop... We live in Portland OR, so they won't be free range all day, but planning to have them free range a little in the evening before bedtime, since they will already be full from feed & treats & foraging in their run... hopefully they will be very happy! ((also planning chicken tunnel at a later date to another part of the yard (underneath my kiddo's playhouse)...)

So yes all new chicks... 4 Silkies, but we are pretty sure atleast 2 are Roos (based on comb size & behavior), so that's also why we have the other 2 chicks now... It was not my intention to get 4 silkies, i just wanted 1-2 plus some bigger gentle girls.. but the farm store lady convinced me to get 4 as the chances of them being Roos is 50%.. The other breeds were not available until later date, which is why I am in this situation! i might go ahead and DNA test them, as technically we can only have 4-5 hens total in the city.. we will see how it works out !

And yes, I can run an electrical cord out to have a heat lamp for the littles outside!

This all sounds wonderful, they should be very happy. As @thistlewick mentioned. . . depending on the weather/climate the chicks can go outside as long as the have a heat lamp/brooder plate to get warm under as needed. I'd say once everyone is integrated you could put them all out at once as long as the run is secure and dry.
I'm still figuring things out myself and have a similar situation where the coop isn't ready yet (bad weather and neighbor that was helping had to go out of town) but the chicks still needed to go outside . . .I'll get pictures of my setup so you can get some ideas.

 

[tworedwellies]

This all sounds wonderful, they should be very happy. As @thistlewick mentioned. . . depending on the weather/climate the chicks can go outside as long as the have a heat lamp/brooder plate to get warm under as needed. I'd say once everyone is integrated you could put them all out at once as long as the run is secure and dry.
I'm still figuring things out myself and have a similar situation where the coop isn't ready yet (bad weather and neighbor that was helping had to go out of town) but the chicks still needed to go outside . . .I'll get pictures of my setup so you can get some ideas.

Would love that, thanks for sharing!

 

[redinator]

Would love that, thanks for sharing!

Sorry, I got sidetracked playing with the new chicks

This is my run and temporary coop until the weather starts cooperating and I can build the actual coop in the area marked by lumber in the background. It's 9x18 the top is completely covered by a tarp and there's a second tarp covering the backside of it. You can also see the chick pen it the back right with my four older chicks sitting on top.


This is a closer view of the chick pen . . .the top and right side are covered by a trap to keep the little chicks dry in case it rains. There's also a dog house (you can see the roof a bit) attached to the far end for better coverage if they need it.


The older chicks investigating their noisy siblings and wondering why they have to share a room with them. lol.


Most of these little chicks were two weeks old when I put them outside. They had stopped using the brooder plate and would perch on top of it or lay in the middle of the brooder, even when the ceiling fan was on. That told me they didn't need it anymore. The only time they really huddle together is at night or if it's raining and a bit cooler, but they're completely sheltered from the rain and they don't get wet, which is key.

 

[Debbie292d]

Gotcha! These are our very first chickens, I have been waiting for like 6 years and now we finally have some!

My husband is still building the coop, so no pics yet! but it will have an attached run of 4'x32' (they will have an L shape area around a garage), plus an additional 5 ft for a compost devouring area, and then a little open air space around the coop... We live in Portland OR, so they won't be free range all day, but planning to have them free range a little in the evening before bedtime, since they will already be full from feed & treats & foraging in their run... hopefully they will be very happy! ((also planning chicken tunnel at a later date to another part of the yard (underneath my kiddo's playhouse)...)

So yes all new chicks... 4 Silkies, but we are pretty sure atleast 2 are Roos (based on comb size & behavior), so that's also why we have the other 2 chicks now... It was not my intention to get 4 silkies, i just wanted 1-2 plus some bigger gentle girls.. but the farm store lady convinced me to get 4 as the chances of them being Roos is 50%.. The other breeds were not available until later date, which is why I am in this situation! i might go ahead and DNA test them, as technically we can only have 4-5 hens total in the city.. we will see how it works out !

And yes, I can run an electrical cord out to have a heat lamp for the littles outside!

What I would do is pick up a Cozy Coop radiant heater. They look like a flat screen TV. Those are safe, shut off if tipped over, and don't heat up much beyond where they are. Chicks who get chilled can lean up to or sleep next to it if they want. We have four of them for various grow out pens and even the outdoor breeding pens for the adults. That way, we know nobody gets too warm, but if they get cold, they snuggle up to that and they're fine.

 

[redinator]

What I would do is pick up a Cozy Coop radiant heater. They look like a flat screen TV. Those are safe, shut off if tipped over, and don't heat up much beyond where they are. Chicks who get chilled can lean up to or sleep next to it if they want. We have four of them for various grow out pens and even the outdoor breeding pens for the adults. That way, we know nobody gets too warm, but if they get cold, they snuggle up to that and they're fine.

I've seen those, but didn't really give them a second look because I worried about them tipping over, or being knocked over when a chicken perches on the edge. I'll look into these for mine, thanks.

 

[Debbie292d]

I've seen those, but didn't really give them a second look because I worried about them tipping over, or being knocked over when a chicken perches on the edge. I'll look into these for mine, thanks.

Put them close to a wall so they can't perch. The back side doesn't heat. They come with feet or you can hang them on a hook. In our paint pen, they kept knocking it over so hubby finally put a brick in front of it, so they sit on the brick now.