Babies r 3 week olds. When can I blend with lone 4yr old RIR?

[mylulusmom]

Hi everyone,
I am new here. I love the site! I sort of lurked here

a few years back when I was gifted my first brood. The only one I have left is my RIR Hen. She lays for a week, stops a few days and lays again. Going thru Henapause I guess.
anyway... Ive decided to start anew.
I split a box(29)of asst Brown layers from McMurrays with a friend. So far at 3 weeks old they are all alive. (mine and hers)So far so good. Our coop is brand new. Built it from scratch. It sells for $1300.00 at Agway! Not in my budget.
The fence is up and the bird netting is in place. Today we put them out for the first time.(confined, on the grass, and watching the entire hour) They are so cute. They found that small circle of dirt in the grass and each one tried to take a dust bath! At 3 weeks old!!! I showed them to the RIR, and she went running the other way and squalked for a good 4-5 minutes!

I dont know if thats good or bad. She has been alone for almost 2 years. Coons got the other and the Roos we gave away.
So whats the best way to join these guys? I soon need to transfer the RIR to the new run and Hen House because the old coop (former rabbit hutch) is going to my friend for the other 1/2 of this box full of babies. I kept 15 she has the other 14. Ive been reading that the babies cant go out for good until they feather in. Is that true even in late July and August? I would love to put them out ASAP. Not that I dont want them in my daughters bedroom anymore, but we all know how aromatic they become.

. So what do you all suggest?
my lulu's mom

 

[pbjmaker]

I know its the "bad" thing to do but we put our two week old D'uccles in the coop with our two 11 wek olds already. They are in a rabbit cage that has been situated so the big ones can't physically get to them. We only decided to do it because the little ones kept escaping the brooder box all the time (same box I used for the big guys till they were 6 weeks old with no problem). I think the only reason this has worked for us is because it is pretty hot here and the coop stays warm enough at night on its own (we live in Iowa). I'm guessing you could do something similiar but run a power cord if they need the heat lamp still. I would just ensure that they had a physical barrier between them - because I think chickens are sneaky and your big RIR would peck at the other ones when your not looking

Just my two cents - but I am in noooooo way shape or form any kind of expert

 

[JennsPeeps]

Have you tried introducing them through mesh or wire to see how she'd react? She may injure them or she might do nothing. Hard to know without testing a safe, supervised intro.

 

[mylulusmom]

No, I have not tried any type of intro except to hold her up to the box the chicks are currently in. Do you think it is best to wait until they are bigger, or try now while they are small?

 

[JennsPeeps]

I'd try to intro them through wire mesh now and see how everyone reacts. Keep them in separate living quarters but within sight of each other.

3 weeks does seem too young to put them with a fully grown hen. After thinking about it, I'd give them at least another month to grow up some more. When you do integrate them:

1. Do it at night so they wake up together.
2. Watch them closely to make sure they don't injure each other.
3. Separate them if injuries do occur.
4. Know the difference between a squabble that's about pecking order and a full-on fight that will result in injuries.

Good luck & keep us posted.

 

[mylulusmom]

Thanks all. Will keep you posted. Any other advice will be graciously accepted

....my lulus mom

 

[Heather J]

I split off part of the coop (under the nests) for my chicks at two weeks old. I turn on a heat lamp at night because it still gets too cool for the babies, but it's a pain having them inside, and as long as they can't get hurt by the bigger birds, it's good to have them adjust to each other during that time. My chicks have pretty much outgrown the 'nursery' now and I've moved them out for the day into a big enclosure with shade (inside the big chicken run) and they are doing fine. it's a pain in the rear to move them in and out every day, but well worth it. They'll be six weeks old on Friday so I won't have to use the heat lamp anymore at night unless it gets really cold.

 

[spook]

I have a like issue going on with my Bantams, they have been in the "in-law" apartment for quite a while, they are 5 weeks old and I allow the big girls to see them, get them into a pen together, always on the watch tho.
If you had a tote or an in-law apt for your big girl and let her out with a separation from the others that would work out well. Even if you got a childs play pen set up in the hen house for the big hen, place wire over the top and let them get aquanted.
Good luck with it!