Are they ready for the run?

[2Sesslers]

I purchased 6 pullets from the local feed store 4/8. I am not quite sure how old they were when I got them, but needless to say they are almost fully feathered. I have quickly realized that they are all the same type - either Leghorns or Plymouth Rocks. I am new to having my own flock, and have LOTS of questions. I am doing my best to read up, but there is SO MUCH to read! I was wanting a little more variety, so I purchased 2 more chicks - Silver Laced Wyandotte's. So here are my question(s):

How old do they need to be before I leave them out all night?
--They aren't roosting in their run. At dusk when I go bring them in for the night, they are huddled in the corner together. Is it dangerous to leave them out overnight if they aren't roosting yet? [their brooder is a large storage tote, and I'm worried that space is getting too limited with them being larger - but am afraid to leave them out all night]

How do I introduce the other chicks?
-- I put the babies in the brooder with the other group tonight when I brought them in, and one of them started pecking at the babies' legs. OH NOOO I do NOT want injuries!

Please help! I'm having anxiety over these chickens!

 

[sandysylvester]

What do you mean by roosting in the run? My chicks are just shy of that age, and weather provided they are out in the day, during the night back in brooder. Once they are fully feathered (or mostly feathered which will be 2 weeks) they will be out, and during the night locked in the coop where it is draft free. Normally I start night with a 60w bulb (just in case) then remove it within 2 weeks outside. I continue to lock them in the coop until they learn dusk is coop time/sleepy time. My coop and run are all as one so they are completely predator "proof". If the run isn't secure they would be locked in coop each night.

 

[2Sesslers]

Well - I guess I am just a Rookie here is what we have so far [Keep in mind, we live in North Carolina so it isn't going to be cold for a while so we will have plenty of time to add to what we have]: a nester with 6 nests - about 1ft x 1ft, a run that is about 9ft L x 48 in H x 45" W -- Advice?

 

[sandysylvester]

I cant see what you have on the end of the run. I would at least have a makeshift dog box that I could lock them into at night for indoor protection. It would be small once they got larger, but for now would give them an indoor place that was secure.
My coop is structured horribly, but I only have 2 girls. Once my new batch gets large enough we are getting a much larger coop with no run. I let my girls free range all day. Let me see if I have a photo.
Even this is constructed wrong since I have no room for a proper roost, but it works for now. It is fully roofed as of now, bolted to 4x4's, and heavy wire used in place of chicken wire. This way if 1 decides to be an outside sleeper (which 1 is) I have piece of mind it is secure:

 

[2Sesslers]

This is the coop/nest.



The roost we have -- see pictured in above post -- is not permanent, it is there so that they can get used to flying up and standing on something. I was advised to wait for them to go to sleep, and place them up there, and they won't move off. I am going to try that tonight for a while, and then put them inside. I need to add something temporary to keep them closed in the coop so they can stay out all night. Their brooder is too small for them to even sleep in now, I am afraid I am going to create some drama - even though there has been none so far.