Can I put new 9 week old chicks with current 9 week old chicks right away?

[Somyis]

Or do they need to be integrated? My current chicks are actually 8 weeks now but we plan to get a few more soon. They are still in the house brooder but are about to go out in the coming week to be in a separate pen next to our grown up hens, just to give them more room and to get those grown hens to see them as well. I'm thinking of keeping the chicks and grown ups separated for at least a couple weeks? and during that we plan to get those few more chicks Or what if the new chicks are 7 weeks? 11 weeks? Just close to the same age, heh

 

[rosemarythyme]

"Maybe" - at that age they may or may not accept newcomers, even of the same age.

Also depending on the source of the new birds you may want to consider biological quarantine before beginning integration.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

"Maybe" - at that age they may or may not accept newcomers, even of the same age.

Also depending on the source of the new birds you may want to consider biological quarantine before beginning integration.

Agreed, quarantine is very important.

 

[aart]

Agreed, quarantine is very important.

But highly impractical in most backyard settings.
BYC Medical Quarantine Article

 

[Mrs. K]

The numbers of chicks is going to make a big difference here, and the amount of space, and how that space is set up. Many people tend to keep chicks in too small of space with the best intentions of keeping them safe.

My current chicks are actually 8 weeks now but we plan to get a few more soon. They are still in the house brooder but are about to go out in the coming week

Which makes me nervous, in the house, is generally a small space.

if you are adding the same number chicks to the same number of chicks is generally helpful, it will be much more difficult if say you have 6 and want to add one or two more. At 8 weeks of age, I would want at least 2-3 sq feet per chick, lots of hide outs, and multiple feed dishes.

Chicken math gets us all and generally not with great results. Measure your spaces and see.

Mrs K

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Agree with all of the above.

Yes, I successfully integrate 9 week old chicks all the time. I use a "see and be seen" method, which begins earlier, but no reason you can't start it now.

Assuming you have the facilities, a biological quarantine period is ALWAYS recommended when adding new birds to the flock. If, for whatever reason (usually lack of space - most BYC don't live on acres), you don't have one, that's a risk you have chosen to accept, with all its potential consequences.

Good luck!

 

[gimmie birdies]

I have chicks that about 9 weeks old, they were all from my coop, I am going to combine them, in a pen with 8.5 week old chicks (Also from my coop but in a diff pen), I am going to take out the roosters so they are all girls.

 

[Iluveggers]

If you have room, you can split the coop with plastic garden netting nailed or stapled up. Do this for about a week, and put their feeders close to the netting so they can “eat together” but separate. You can do the same in the run by zip-tying the netting to split it into 2 sections. You may have to carry the new group in & out because I don’t see how a pop door can be split. Once they’ve been used to each other, you’ll be able to see if they seem curious yet indifferent. You can then start letting them in the run together but I would supervise first. Also, a second roost bar will help so they can separate at roost if both groups are roosting already. You can actually install it on their half of the coop during integration. Sometimes integrating is quick & easy & sometimes it can take awhile. Observation will tell you how fast to go!