What age to introduce new chickens to existing flock?

[ozarkchicks]

I had a question about introducing my new chicks to our chickens. Currently we only have three hens and are expanding our flock by quite a lot. I have ordered nine chicks from Ideal Poultry but I'm not sure when we will get them. The three hens we do have are very sweet and one seemed to go broody at one point last year for a few days (the buff orpington). With so few adult hens will it be as difficult to introduce the nine chicks. I'm also halfway expecting some packing peanuts as it has been cold lately. Thanks!

 

[sunshinechicken]

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

 

[TeaChick]

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

 

[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!!

 

[AmericanMom]

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

I would agree with the other poster that this is very poor advice... The only time chicks can be with adults at this age is if they are being raised by a hen...Otherwise eight weeks is a recipe for disaster..

My chicks are in the brooder on our porch for three weeks, then they go to the grow out pen that runs along side the adult pen but is separated by chicken wire...adults and babies can see each other but adults cannot get to babies...At eight weeks they are allowed to free range in an enclosed area, again one that the adults are not allowed in and one that is attached to there grow out pen...At 14 weeks we open the gate and they are allowed to free range with the adults and at 16 weeks the grow out pen is closed off and they are in the adult coop at night..
I only offer the adults flock raiser feed because once the babies are allowed out to free range with the adults they go to the coop and check out what the older chickens eat, my laying hens get oyster shells on the side, the little ones don't touch it.

 

[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

 

[AmericanMom]

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.

I just clicked on that link and wow...That has never been suggested here (between the members) nor would I have thought to do it.. My chicks start out in a brooder and then go to the grow out pen that runs along side the coop (much like what the link suggest) but I would have never thought to put them in there that soon..
My apologies to the OP of the post.

On edit

I will say that I fully disagree about the chicks being older and killed..Mine were 16 weeks, and I have also integrated older hens and roosters without any blood drawn or any injuries.

 

[lazy gardener]

I think, like so many things, that we all seem to know "are the RIGHT way to do it", it's not a one size fits all solution. The flock dynamics are very different, as are the coop and run/yard arrangements. It would be most helpful for posters to state what they have done in their flocks, what the flock size and habitat is like, what has worked, and what has not worked. PP mentioning that one bird was killed, with head missing... I believe that injury to be caused by a member of a weasel family, and not due to pecking order issues.

 

[aart]

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.

I think anyone can write an 'article' and put it up here...or at least they are not critically edited before being posted in the learning center.
So like anything you read anywhere on the internet, take it all with a grain of salt....or a whole shaker full.

 

[AmericanMom]

Although I thought my introduction went smoothly It hasn't went so great today..

Got a five month old rooster to replace my older roo...For two days he mingled with the pullets (same age) within the main flock...Today it seems the rooster has noticed there is another rooster on the premises, every time he see's him he runs him to ground... As soon as hubby gets home were going to head out to make sure the juvi is in the coop and not cowering under the camper still..
The five month old mind you is not crowing and other than size shows no sign of being the wonderful rooster I expect him to be...
Decision is whether to go ahead and cull the older guy now or allow the older guy to establish his dominance...