How Do I Introduce My Chicks With My Older Flock?

[Bella the Chicken Lover]

Hello Everyone! I just hatched three chicks(Red Rhode Island Red) two weeks ago, and I bought 7 more chicks at tractor supply(4 black Australorps, 3 Golden Wyandotte's). They are a week apart, but are getting along fine, thankfully.How do I introduce them to my older flock? When? Any advice, I'd be very grateful.
God Bless,
Bella the Chicken Lover

 

[Obsessed With Silkies]

Something you can do is have a separate fence where your chicks would be near where your older flock and chicken coop is. When they are in that separate fence area, that's when the pecking order is established among the new chickens. This also helps everyone get used to each other and it helps for a smoother introduction when you start integrating them into things the older chickens do such as free range time. Also just letting them sleep in the same coop at night even before they have been totally integrated helps. It may be a little rough at first but they'll get used to each other.

 

[Bella the Chicken Lover]

Something you can do is have a separate fence where your chicks would be near where your older flock and chicken coop is. When they are in that separate fence area, that's when the pecking order is established among the new chickens. This also helps everyone get used to each other and it helps for a smoother introduction when you start integrating them into things the older chickens do such as free range time. Also just letting them sleep in the same coop at night even before they have been totally integrated helps. It may be a little rough at first but they'll get used to each other.

Okay! So do I put a fence inside the enclosure where the big chickens are for the chicks and put them in it?

 

[Obsessed With Silkies]

Okay! So do I put a fence inside the enclosure where the big chickens are for the chicks and put them in it?

Yes, when they're big enough which would be probably a couple months old. They would be in there the whole day so food and water for them and then putting them with your other chickens up at night. This is only when they're old enough for integration.You may want to do this for a week or so. It all depends on how well you think they are getting along and if the integration needs more time.

 

[Bella the Chicken Lover]

Yes, when they're big enough which would be probably a couple months old. They would be in there the whole day so food and water for them and then putting them with your other chickens up at night. This is only when they're old enough for integration.You may want to do this for a week or so. It all depends on how well you think they are getting along and if the integration needs more time.

Okay, thank you!

 

[Obsessed With Silkies]

No problem!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I do early integration so if you have the space for it, that's the way to go. You will need to set up for it, but it allows for you to finish integrating chicks as early as 4 weeks of age.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/short-on-time-recycle-a-prefab-brooder.73985/

 

[Bella the Chicken Lover]

I do early integration so if you have the space for it, that's the way to go. You will need to set up for it, but it allows for you to finish integrating chicks as early as 4 weeks of age.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/short-on-time-recycle-a-prefab-brooder.73985/

Okay! Thank you!