What age to introduce new chickens to existing flock?

[Nofowlplay]

Tonight my new SS girl and my Ameraucana are on the roost together! The Am jumped up there first. The SS girl checked it out for awhile then jumped up there with her! They don't look 100 % comfortable with each other....but I call that progress!


:cd

 

[soniaartist]

Gawd im scared to ask...I have two seperate group of gals...my 4 blk sex links 9 wks old this weekend...one in there is a runt other three protect her" sissy" is her name..then I have..6 wk old silkie bantams.... I was gonna build a separate coop for the bantams..and thought about integrating them last night. Now I am very hesitant. need advice please..I myself am 9 wks new to this.

 

[bekahubbell]

I have 2 groups of pullets, 3 that are roughly 3/4 months old that are in the coop now then I have 2 that are about 5/6 weeks old that have their own lil box. I was planning on putting a wire portable coop/run inside the older chickens run during the day so they can start getting used to eachother sooner than later. I plan on doing this for at least a month but what I am curious about is when should they all be allowed to be together? When the younger ones are closer in size to the older? One of my older ones will always be smaller since she is a Polish. Thanks

 

[soniaartist]

Came up with a quick idea for during the day...and bring the silkies in at night...

Made fom a lil ikea table off of craigs list and left over hardware wire...a new playpen

 

[bekahubbell]

Came up with a quick idea for during the day...and bring the silkies in at night...



Made fom a lil ikea table off of craigs list and left over hardware wire...a new playpen

Ill have to try something like that. I have been brainstorming ideas to make something inexpensively. Thanks for sharing

 

[soniaartist]

Np ...im disabled and watch my budget closely. .the table it was free on craigslist.. is how I got lumber for the coop and free paint through the city. They take all the disposed of paint and combine it and get two colors dark granite brown and off white ...5 gals free..and home depot 70% off cut rack ( my brother works there in va beach) told me to go to my store here in tx and look...got 80.00 dollars worth of 2x4 and 2x6 for 21.00 dollars had like 15 pieces or so. The dog kennel I got from a neighbor getting rid of it for like 50.00 most I paid....husband and I never made built anything before..he did all the hard labor..I just played one on tv..lol

 

[Den in Penn]

Nice setup soniaartist. One of the joys of chickens is that if you want or need, the cheaper ways work. The chickens don't care.
Bantams and full size can get along. With the bantams being younger I would wait til the bantams are closer to maturity till i would try to put them in the same coop at night. If you have a large run or free range you can leave them roam in the common area for a while before that.

Bekahubbell: If both of your groups are LF then when the younger set is around 10 weeks they could be put together. Both groups will still be immature and immature birds are generally more tolerant.

 

[bekahubbell]

Nice setup soniaartist. One of the joys of chickens is that if you want or need, the cheaper ways work. The chickens don't care.
Bantams and full size can get along. With the bantams being younger I would wait til the bantams are closer to maturity till i would try to put them in the same coop at night. If you have a large run or free range you can leave them roam in the common area for a while before that.

Bekahubbell: If both of your groups are LF then when the younger set is around 10 weeks they could be put together. Both groups will still be immature and immature birds are generally more tolerant.

I have a mix of sizes. I forgot we have a cage, my husband is bringing home later, that will be perfect for the babies to be in during the day in the older chicks run.

 

[bekahubbell]

So this is I came up with for the babies.

 

[soniaartist]

So this is I came up with for the babies.

That looks great...how is working out? My big girls could care less now that my other babies are there..once in awhile they take a peek..and my lil light blue silkie comes up and stares them down lol..gosh I hope she isnt a he, ha ha ha...but your idea is great.