can i put new 17weeks old birds in same run with the other flock

[blueseal]

they will have seperate coops . or should i fence off a section for the new birds in the run. i have one big run for all. it is 250 ft of 2x4 welded wire fencing thats 6ft tall 5, 50 ft rolls setup with the green t post stakes. the 10 new birds have been cooped up in my spare coop and there itching to get outside and stretch .

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

If you could seperate the run for a couple of weeks it might make the integration go a bit easier. They should be big enough if that is what you are worried about.

 

[blueseal]

Quote:
that and im still feeding them grower feed too. so probably best to keep them sectioned in the one run until the start laying then put them in with the others.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

Good luck!

 

[Jferlisi]

I would suggest separating them also but making it visible to the existing flock. I dont think it would hurt to much if you put them together cause the10 have a pecking order already established therefore there is that top hen who will assert herself into the older flock, i would just keep and eye out at first.

 

[DanEP]

I have a small grow out pen that I use so that the big girls can check out the little guys for a few weeks then let them free range together for a couple of weeks before putting them all together. the biggest problem I seem to have is if one of the young upstarts thinks their going to roost on the top roost. I just put this last batch in the layers coop at 14 weeks and it only took a couple of days for things to settle down. Seems to help if the older girls already know the younger ones.

 

[blueseal]

i decided to put them in a 12x12 pen i have . that way they can see the big girls but cant get to them . i moved the chicken house down to where the pen is tonite. so now i just have to make a pop door for them to go in and out. i sealed the pen off so the big girls cant get in.