Can I mix my babies into my flock yet?

[mesmeric]

The chicks that I have are 4 weeks old and all feathered out, they can fly and do all the time in face it is a fight to keep them in my brooder!

About 2 months ago I had a raccoon raid my flock and take it down to just 2 birds. They are all I have left and the reason why I am wondering if I could safely put the new ones out there. I have 8 chicks that would be going out there to a flock of just 2 birds now. So I didn't know if the numbers would make it different or if I still needed to wait and maybe make a small coop for them outside.

Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated as I know these babies would love to go outside and run around!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I think they are too young. I have gotten away with a LOT in flock integration with large groups of chicks going in with older hens. See below*.

However, the standard advice is to wait until they are around the same size as the older hens.

*If you want to be adventurous and try to combine them earlier, I would advise you spend at least a couple of hours watching after integration and pull them out if you see that the chicks are not standing up for themselves. For if they get cornered by the older hens they could be killed. Also if the older hens don't back down when attacking- pull them out.
There is a HUGE difference between a 4 week old and a 6 week old. And a 6 week old and a 8 or 10 week old, in the amount of "standing up for oneself" they are capable of. I wouldn't combine them now. I would wait at least until they are a couple of months old to even try it.

In addition, if you don't free range and everyone is in a run that is smallish, I'd not even consider it until the babies are about 3 months old. For those older hens will have all day long to keep the younger ones from eating.

You will probably need two feeders as well, and room on the roost for the younger ones to get away. Older hens are really bad about pecking younger ones on the roost.

Also, for to be considered fully feathered, they should also be fully feathered on their heads, which generally occurs around 6 weeks old- I have seen this happen earlier, in my Leghorns and Cali. Whites.

I hope it all goes smoothly for you. It is always handy to have a second coop anyway, for if you get new chicks again or have a need for an isolation coop.

If you don't have the facilities for an extra coop, some people put a dog crate inside the existing coop and let them sleep in there with the big hens inside the crate (with food and water), and give them a little separate run with shelter, food and water during the day. This can be very labor intensive though moving them back and forth.

 

[mesmeric]

Thank you so much for the info, I free range my chickens so they wouldn't have to share a run but I think I will build the second coop because I'm just so nervous about the older girls harming the little ones. One of the older girls did go broody but not in time for me to sneak some in, so I also don't want them to suffer her wrath as she is a bit testy at the moment.

I was just wondering if maybe the numbers meant something, but I guess a grown chicken is a grown chicken no matter how many I have. But having another coop to later use as an isolation coop isn't such a bad idea either. I've just been real lucky the last year and a half with my current flock I am guessing and I haven't needed one.

The babies are in my current user photo and I am sure they will appreciate being outside without being hen pecked! Thank you again for taking the time to read and give me a good answer, I think I just want them all to be together and getting along way too soon. After the coop raid my yard has looked so empty I think I was missing my outside TV as I call it. Thankfully we have the coop way more secured and got rid of the stinky bandit.