Chicks and pullet together?

[ldelorto]

So I have seen people suggest keeping the chicks outside anywhere from 3-10 weeks. Right now I have 3 2week old chicks inside in a container/box in my living room. They have gone outside during the day a few times but have been staying indoors when we are at work or at night. So I want to get them out in the coop ASAP. Was hoping they will be ok around 4weeks, and would prefer not to
Use the lamp but will if I have to. Around 50-60 at night here. I don't want to spoil them with heat too much cause they will need to get used to the cold seeing as I live in NeeEngland. Other thing is there will be a 1 year old Silkie in the coop next week. Will 4 week old chicks be ok with an adult at night? Silkies are usually pretty broody so does that mean she may be nice to them? Also the silkie us a bantam and the chicks are full size RIR and Rocks. Just wondering the best way to go about my situation. I would really like to get them in the coop ASAP but do not want to put them in danger.

 

[Habibs Hens]

if you want them dead then 4 weeks

other wise don't introduce them to the older hens until atleast 10 plus weeks

 

[ldelorto]

I obviously don't want them dead, and will see there size and how they have grown by then but my question was more if it matters about the size of the older one, cause she is only a 10 month old Silkie (still a pullet) and the chicks are road Island reds and a Plymouth Rock which are much much larger breeds. So if my 4-6 week old chicks are not too far away from the size of my 10 month old silkie bantam will they be ok together? I don't have any hens.... This is assuming supervised they seem ok together. I wouldn't throw the chicks in with a bunch of hens, just wanna know if the fact that its only 1 silkie pullet in the coop make it a possible situation. By 10 weeks the chicks will probably be bigger than the silkie. She's a pretty tiny bird.

 

[Alaskan]

For flock happiness it would be easiest if they are all introduced to the coop at the same time. That way it isn't anyone's home turf.

Do make sure that you have two of everything, perches, water, and feed, and there is space for chickens to run away from any bullies if they need to.

As to temps.... I would have a heat lamp out the first night and go out and peek when it is coldest and see if they are sleeping close to the heat or far from it or a medium distance. As long as they weren't huddled right under the heat lamp I would then call them good, and remover the lamp the next day.

Do watch the temps for the next couple of weeks after you put the chickens out and make sure there aren't any sudden super lows when you might want to put the heat lamp back out.

And don't worry about spoiling them. Even if you end up using the heat lamp for this first month while they are still so little, by fall they will be so much bigger with lots more feathers, size, and fat, and they will be perfectly fine in the winter without any heat.

 

[ldelorto]

The silkie hasn't even had an egg yet (she probably will soon) cause she was born toward the end of last summer and its just starting to warn up here. Trying to get a good age cause I think 10 weeks seems a little much.

 

[Alaskan]

Idelorto,

I think the chicks with the 10 month old bantam would be fine, especially since they will be about the same size when put together. And I do think that since she is the only bantam, you probably do want to introduce them to each other when the bantam is large enough relative to the others that the bantam can easily hold her own. Also, RIR and rocks are pretty feisty breeds.

Definitely watch them when you put them together, but I think it would be fine, especially if you have the space to follow the stuff I said in my first post.

Good luck!

 

[ldelorto]

Thanks. Im thinking I will introduce the chicks to the coop at the same time as the pullet at 3 weeks, keep an eye on them and if all seems well then just bring the chicks in at night when the temp drops around 9p.m-7:00a.m. Then at 4 weeks put the heat lamp in the coop for nights and do that until 6 weeks. Cause it's 75-80 during the day. Can get up to 90, but the nights drop to 50. The chicks just seem so filled out and big already and they are only 2 weeks!! They already scratch and eat worms in the garden and have alot of there big girl feathers. They seem pretty tough. I will have more Silkie friends for the pullet this fall. I'm anti bullying so I will make sure all is well before I do anything. Thanks a lot Alaskin!!