When to move chicks in with hens?

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srd5757

srd5757

Chirping
7 Years
Apr 8, 2012
124
6
91
Manhattan, Ks
I've seen lots of posts about not moving chicks outside until the are fully feathered. Mine are 5-6 wks old and one is fully feathered and we're waiting on the other three. However, I know they all have to get used to eachother and the chicks are going outside during the day in a wire dog crate so they get used to outside and the big girls can come get a good look at them without hurting them. When is it ok to put them in the coop with the big girls? I am planning to do a 'panic room' inside the coop where the lil ones can go but the big ones can't, but other than that they would not be seperated...
How big/ old should they be?
 
Mine are four weeks, at five weeks they'll go to a sectioned off part of the coop, basically separating the girls with chicken wire, so they can see and not get to each other. And then somewhere between 6-8 weeks I'll start letting them free range together. It also depends on how many your integrating. The more chicks the easier it should be. If the hens are out numbered they shouldn't bother them as much. Just make sure to keep a close eye on them at first
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This is way helpful! Cause I'm worried about integrating my three 5 week old chicks with my three 2 year old hens!! They are even in number as you can tell and they have only spent a little time together outside (chicks in wire cage) twice to be exact cause the weather turned "IDAHO" on us!!

My head hen was checking them out alot, every once in a while she would try to peck at a chick that got cloce to the side and her right wing hen was just sitting a few feet away and sqwacking the whole time!! I'm not sure if i like that reaction!
 
ya it's nerve wracking, and it takes a bit of time but as long as your close to make sure they're not fighting they'll eventually be ok. You never know how they'll react. I was cleaning brooders today and have a pen set up in the yard, so I threw my 3, 3 week old silkies in with my 5 4 week old wyandottes, expecting to have to break up fights while I cleaned them out real fast. There was a huge difference in size but they just circled each other a few times, and then scratched around for dandelions together. I think it helped that I moved them both out of their element when I introduced them, which is another trick I've heard, moving the top hens to a different coop for a few days to confuse them a bit and restart the pecking order. good luck!
 
Countrymama719 said:
I think it helped that I moved them both out of their element when I introduced them, which is another trick I've heard, moving the top hens to a different coop for a few days to confuse them a bit and restart the pecking order. good luck!
Click to expand...

Thanks for that!! cause when we get the new coop build they will all go in together!! Yay i'm not as worried!!
 
So far so good! The chicks have been in the coop at night for a week now!
My buff orpington has decided she is their mama! LOL! However, Speckle (the sussex) is the dominant one and she's not so nice to them, but they have a panic room and don't always use it so I guess they're working it out!
 

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