This year is the first time we have placed chicks with adult chickens! Our chicks have been with the older chickens for two weeks now! Here are my thoughts on moving the chicks into the older chicken coop!

We had gotten 14 chicks, 6 already had their flight feathers. We kept them inside the house in a brooder for a couple of weeks. The 6 oldest ones were beginning to jumping out, perch on the brooder, and walk around my office. Chicks are so cute 😍! But their poo is not 😑.

I would not suggest putting really young chicks with adults. All of our chicks were a little over 2 weeks. The only reason I would have a day old chick in the coop with older chickens is if my hen had hatched the chick. She will protect the chick, looking after it. We felt really confident in placing these chicks with older chickens because not only some were hopping out of the brooder, they were healthy and active.

Jacob had placed an attachment to the back of the coop. The attachment allows the chicks to retreat to their own area. There are roosting bars, a spot for the younger chicks to lay down under the heating lamp, and an area for the food and water. This allows the chicks to mingle with some of the older chickens and get used to seeing all the other chickens, ducks, and goats.

The inside of the Chick Cave! Get it like..man cave!? ðŸĪŠ

For a while, we would let the older chickens out, keeping the chicks inside the coop. Then at night, we would put the older chickens back up. We started to allow the chicks to go out for a little while at a time.

Since we have hit the 2 week mark of the chicks staying in the coop, when we let the older chickens out to free range, the chicks are let out too!

Now you may be wondering if we are nervous about a predator coming onto the property and scooping the chicks away. We’re always nervous about the possibility that happening. However, we have a lot of chickens in the back yard. I’m hoping with their sounding the alarm by squawking, we can be outside before a predator becomes a threat. We do not free range the chicks if we are not home.

At the end of the day, the chicks are learning the nightly routine of feeding and going up for the night.

Check out our video on how the chicks are doing!