Chicks and size help needed.

[ticks]

I have 5 chicks in a cage in the coop now, they are 7 and 8 weeks old. I have not let them out of the cage yet because my full grown hens are still big and my rooster is very large. How long before they can take the breeding of him, as they are still pretty small.

 

[Judy]

Your chicks will be their full height in about 8 more weeks, but they won't be their full weight/size for a few more weeks. They won't be ready to be breed til around when they begin laying, somewhere around 20-24 weeks. Some do start laying around 17-18 weeks at times.

I have a group a little over 16 weeks. The roos have been trying to mate with the pullets for a couple of weeks, but I haven't seen a pullet accept this yet; they scream and run off.

 

[ChooksChick]

Generally, you want to wait until they are about the same size- so 15 weeks or so. If there's plenty of room, say a backyard or free range so they can avoid each other, then maybe 13 weeks, but you'll want them to see each other through wire for a while first. There will be pecking. It happens that way.