adding chicks to the coop

[cowlady11]

How old should my chicks be before i put them in the coop with the older girls. I have some millies in the coop who are four months old, and two silkies who are 7 months old...My little chicks are two weeks old right now

 

[fatguyaz]

i'm in the same boat. I have a couple of buff orpington chicks that are 3 weeks old or so and i have 4 hens that are just starting to lay now and i have the brooder for the chicks in the hen house with the older ladies. The brooder is a large dog kennel with a metal wire door so they can talk to each other without being able to peck. When the ladies are out ranging, the lil chicks can roam around in the coop and run. Then they get locked up again when the ladies come back in. The older ones peck at the chicks when they are too close, but that is getting less and less as time goes on. They are definitely getting used to each other. Hopefully they;ll all be friends by the time the chicks are out of the brooder and in the hen house full time. We'll see!

 

[Ladysonja]

Depending on your weather tempatures, I would say they are old enough.

I had 6 13-14 week olds and 9 2 week olds, I put them all in the coop/run and everyone did just fine.

The older girls were either out numbered or really calm about the whole business and everyone got along fine.

Keep and eye on the little ones in case they get picked on.

We had a little white one that appeared to be picked on by the older birds, but it was her mates that did the plucking.

Other than watching them for the first couple of weeks for behavioral issues and keeping in mind the tempatures in your area, I'm sure you will have a great transition of age groups.

Good Luck.