How long to raise chicks separately before introducing them?

[dmessick]

We currently have a flock of 7 hens. I'm looking to add some more hens to the flock this year and am trying to plan the shipment for the right time of year. I have to head out of town every couple months for work and don't want to have to keep the chicks in their heated area for too long. At what age can I introduce them to the coop and the rest of the flock? I guess I'll have to introduce them slowly to keep them from being picked on too. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[DraigAthar]

Hi there,

Just recently, I added three new younger chickens to an established flock of 8 adult hens. The 3 newbies were 16 weeks old when I moved them in with the big girls. We went with the slip-them-in-after-dark method, it went pretty well.

Amy

 

[Zanna]

Mine go out in the layer coop outside as soon as they are fully feathered, 4-8 weeks old. I have a division in the back corner of a fairly large coop. I have them separated there with heavy net deer fencing. After about 2 weeks (when I am confident the danger of cocci is past or if I need to treat they stay in their corner for another week or so) I make a very small opening in the netting so they can come out but run back in if the big girls try to pick on them. After about 2 weeks of this I open up the division completely and all live together fairly peacefully. My layer flock free-ranges all daylight hours and I am sure this helps my method to work. When the babies are allowed to start venturing out of their corner, most, if not all of the adult chickens are out. The babies usually start free-ranging as well about 2 weeks after they have the full run of the coop. I do this incorporation many times a year and the whole clan seems pretty used to the routine!