How long will it take for new chicks and old chicks to intergrate?

[Mommysongbird]

We have some new chicks that we put out in our small coop today, they have their own run, but it is just 3 of them. They are almost 7+ weeks old. Got them from TS but not sure of the actual age. Their coop and run is attached to the bigger coop and run that my 2 yr olds, 1 year olds and 9 mon old is in. I don't really remember how long it took for me to intergrate the 2 year olds and the 1 year olds (the 9 month old was born into the flock). We need to make this a fairly quick move because we have a duck and 5 bantams that will need to go into that coop in a few more weeks.

So will 2 or 3 weeks be long enough? When should we start letting them out in the yard together?

 

[ChickenRaiser95]

it took my flock of little 4 moth olds to intergrate with my 2+ year old flock about 2-3 months

 

[Mommysongbird]

Oh wow, hope it doesn't take that long. One of our ducks and 5 bantams will be ready to go out in about another week or so. Then we have 2 more ducks that are a good 5 more weeks before they will be ready.

 

[azygous]

You can expedite the process with the use of a "panic room", any kind of enclosure that will accommodate just the smalls and not the bigs. When they have a place they can run into for safety, where their food and water is available to them without being chased away, then they can actually co-exist rather well with the bigger members of the flock. They can move into the coop with the bigs as long as you assist them with a little refereeing at roosting time.

If you free-range, you can still provide such a safe zone, but it's easier in a run, I would think. But the objective is to give the smalls a place where they can find safety when needed.

As for how old the chicks might be, they are usually four weeks old when they appear all feathered and no down.

 

[Congers Coop]

thanks for asking the question, I had the same one. Ours are very close in age but still enough to make a difference. We have 6 four month olds and 3 one month olds and a duck that we would like to intergrate. they have been free ranging together but have had some occasional pecking and feather pulling.