What age to introduce new chickens to existing flock?

[70monte]

I have a Rooster and eight hens that are adults. I have two roosters and eight hens that were born 10/9/13 that are housed in a separate smaller coop. I bought these as nine day old chicks from a hatchery. They were all supposed to be pullets but you know how that goes. The new chickens are now four months old.

Do you think they are old enough to be introduced to the older adult flock? I'm not sure how the two young roosters will fare with the older adult one. I got the adult one in September to replace my previous rooster who just disappeared one day. He had been housed with quite a few other adult roosters so he was used to being around other roosters. I will eventually get rid of one or maybe both of the younger roosters.

The older chickens free range and the coop that the younger ones are in has an attached small wire run so the adult chickens have seen the younger ones when they are wandering around by their coop. I plan on letting the younger ones free range too but initially they will probably all have to be penned up together for a couple of days in the coop and run that the older ones live in so they know where they live now. Thanks for any info.

Wayne

 

[whittychick]

Mine were about 12-13 weeks old when I added them with the older girls...but I had my chicks in a separate coop next to them for about 4 weeks prior...they were introduced at night (easier transition) and pecking Order happened for about a week. They're all best of friends now! Good luck!!!

 

[niamhblond]

What I do is gradually realise them into the garden together for example 2/3 times a week for a month and then build it up because you can't rush these things but make sure that you get them to live near / in eye distance so they get to know each other . If you have a mother hen with them who is already part of the flock it's a different situation because the mother of my chicks left to re join her flock so you have to make sure that they would be old enough to keep warm if this does happen . GOOD LUCK !

 

[merlotmudpies]

May I hop in for some advice here? I have 8-9 week old girls who have been in an interior pen with my big girls for a couple of weeks now during the day. The big girls free range and when I'm in the yard I let the little girls wander too (they spend a good amount of time digging in my garden with me and eating any good treats we find.). This week the bigs an little have started wandering together just about with 6 to 8 feet between them most of the time (2 littles and 3 bigs make my flock). Last night I put the littles in the bigs coop and this morning they're in the run and all getting along. The bigs are interested but not being aggressive. This is maybe week three of being around each other thru wire. Am I screwing up big time by doing this? An I being tricked by dumb beginners luck that will run out?

Also if they do integrate well, what do I do about feed? My bigs are on lay pellets but barely eat it because they range most days. My littles are on medicated chick starter feed. If my bigs get into that are their eggs safe? My littles range too but not as often/long...if that supplements some of their medicated feed will they be okay? I'm keeping as natural as I can but trying to be flexible for the health of my girls.

Thanks guys I know this is a lot...so thankful for all the knowledge here!!

 

[cstronks]

the right time to intrduce chicks to the flock is when they are exactly eight weeks old no more no less

I wouldn't recommend this at all. I don't know where you heard that, but an eight week old chick cannot, and I repeat with emphasis, CANNOT hold its own against a fully grown bird. Size is probably the most important factor in the equation, as you want the new birds to be around the same size as the existing ones. Also, you want to give your existing flock exposure to the new birds without being able to touch them. I've dubbed this the "dog-crate" method. Put the new birds in large dog crates in the run during the day and allow your flock to basically go right up to them without being able to peck, attack, etc. After about a week the flock will pretty much accept the birds as being there, and you can introduce them at night on the roost. This process sometimes takes longer, as there is no recipe for success in flock integration. You must make sure that you give your current flock a chance to see these birds for some time though, otherwise you are inviting conflict by just throwing the birds in there.

Sunshine chickens could not be more wrong in this case. If you throw a small bird into your flock like that, they will be killed in the pecking order, and you will wake up to a massacre. There are plenty of horror stories on this forum to back that up. Whatever you do, don't put an eight week old bird with an adult.

Good luck with the integration process!!

 

[Sonya9]

I wouldn't recommend this at all. I don't know where you heard that, but an eight week old chick cannot, and I repeat with emphasis, CANNOT hold its own against a fully grown bird.

She read it on this site (or at least I did so she probably did too). It says that in the article on "Raising Baby Chicks" in the learning center. A whole lot of new people (like me, and the op) will read it and assume it is true if it is part of the site learning section.

Quote: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/raising-your-baby-chicks

 

[mainechicklet]

My coop is only 6x8 and it was hard enough trying to get the 7 to get their crap together and sleep....pecking each other off the roosts, etc. The attached totally hard-clothed run is 12x12. I originally built it for my first three, not knowing that within 6 weeks, I'd be rescuing a bunch more. So I totally don't have room to house 10 more in there right now. I might erect a temp coop and when the tax guy comes snooping around, I'll make sure he knows it's temporary. When removed from the crime scene, the hoarder hens were placed in a partially finished quarantine building.......>50 in a semi-dark room. There are still 16 there, so the 10 I plan to take will have all been together for several months. (The rescue sanctuary hadn't completed their building when this whole situation occurred. And winter in ME is a difficult time for sick, dehydrated, malnourished

chickens.)
When I went for the 4, I just picked them up in the semi-dark and took them home. As it turned out, I have this lovely assortment of pretty girls.

 

[mainechicklet]

....A little correction to what I wrote before. I guess they are older than 3 months when we put them together. We buy 2 large bags of baby chick feed which lasts a few months for 25 baby chicks. Then we get them used to adult chicken feed before we put them together. They have to get used to seeing each and let them together all at the same time. The big and the little chickens don't actually hang out together, We put a feeder where the younger ones hang out, and more feed over where big ones hang out. Competition for food is not a good plan. They will start laying eggs when they are 5 months old, and by that time they should be getting along. Good luck with your project-by now you probably have them all together. Chickens should absolutely- not ever be residing in
your home.

There absolutely- are exceptions to your last statement.

 

[BLT79]

Sounds like your integration was well thought out, I am also a big believer in "baby steps" if there is concern regarding aggression.

I am a newbie too, have three 11 week old standard chicks and 3 older bantam hens. All are on starter right now (the 4 year old bantam hens were recently adopted, I figured the medicated feed would be a good idea as the older hens could be exposed to new strains of coccidia in a new home).

I plan to move them all onto on to Purina's "all flock diet" later this week (also medicated) and offer the laying hens oyster shells in case they need more calcium. The feed store owners said most around here keep their chicks on medicated feed for 14 weeks and since it is spring and rainy I can see why (wet rainy weather increases coccidia growth). I have also read putting chicks under 18 weeks on layer feed is a bad thing (too much calcium can cause bone problems) so I don't want to do that. I can supplement the older hens food for a bit.

I believe there was a recall on the purina food. don't remember exactly what food, but I know it was purina and was within the last month! not sure if it was secluded to just one type, all flock, chick, etc. but I know it was poultry feed from Purina!

 

[whittychick]

Currently I have 5 three year old chickens out in my pen. four weeks ago I had gotten 4 new chicks to add to my flock. I was wondering when I can move them into the coop with the others. Or should I start letting them see each other. ?

I would put the babies in a pen next to the big girls to introduce for a few weeks...I did this and the transition was perfect! I added the chicks in at night and everyone acted like they've known each other for years! Good luck