Combining young pullets with older hens

[blue_hydrangea_homestead]

I’m looking for some advice on introducing and combining my flocks. I have three young pullets that are nearly fully feathered and are quickly outgrowing their small coop. My question is, how many weeks should they be before I introduce them to the rest of my flock? I have 11 hens. The chicks are 10 almost 11 weeks. They’ve been free ranging together a few times and of course the young ones got smacked around a bit but it didn’t seem to be overtly aggressive.

Another question I have is how old do the young ones need to be before they can eat adult feed? That’s what I’m most perplexed about because I don’t know how I would avoid them eating the adult feed and avoid the hens eating the chick feed. All of their space connects so there wouldn’t be much room for separation other than the coop the small ones are currently in.

Sorry for the long post! Thanks in advance to any advice!

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I’m looking for some advice on introducing and combining my flocks. I have three young pullets that are nearly fully feathered and are quickly outgrowing their small coop. My question is, how many weeks should they be before I introduce them to the rest of my flock? I have 11 hens. The chicks are 10 almost 11 weeks. They’ve been free ranging together a few times and of course the young ones got smacked around a bit but it didn’t seem to be overtly aggressive.

Another question I have is how old do the young ones need to be before they can eat adult feed? That’s what I’m most perplexed about because I don’t know how I would avoid them eating the adult feed and avoid the hens eating the chick feed. All of their space connects so there wouldn’t be much room for separation other than the coop the small ones are currently in.

Sorry for the long post! Thanks in advance to any advice!

Just to answer the feed question: put the hens on either chick feed or all-flock feed. The only thing special about layer feed is that the calcium is already in there.

Instead serve oyster shell (calcium) on the side and let them eat it when they need it (somehow they know.) The chicks won’t eat it until their body says it’s time. Many chickens prefer flaked oyster shells to the big chunks.

Layer feed is pretty skimpy on protein and was traditionally aimed at the poultry industry. All-flock feed is safe for all, and often has 19-20% protein, good for cold winters and regrowing feathers after molting.

 

[Debbie292d]

To the question of feed, agree with the above.

To the question of integration, not enough info here. If they all just sleep in a coop together but free range, then any age, but in my experience, the little ones will sleep in the corner by the door and be the first ones out in the morning because they're scared of the big ones. If food/water is in that coop, ours never got any, so I put food/water receptacles right outside of the coop for them. They'd fill up, then off they'd go. Throughout the day, the hens would also use those, but apart from the little ones.

The little ones will be the last to go into the coop at night, and most likely either try go back to their former coop or puddle up somewhere. You'll have to put them in for a few nights until they catch on. We put a rechargeable lantern right inside the chicken door which helps.