Incorporate pullet at 3 months?

[mendozer]

I have one pullet and 9 hens. I couldn't stop one from brooding so i let her have one. She's now 12 weeks old and she and her mother are caged off in a corner of the coop with their own food and water. Space is getting smaller and I feel like it might be ok to incorporate her now. Traditionally I've heard 4 months but I thought that was for pecking order scuffles and food (because of the calcium or protein levels) for pullets. I thought about cutting a small hole in the chicken wire so she can go back and forth while the others can't get in, but that doesn't eliminate the food issue. She would be able to access the layer food. So I'd either have to let them stick it out or switch out all the food to grower (they have free choice calcium anyways).

I feel bad for the mother too. She's already laying eggs again in this little confined area.

 

[Sonya9]

Chicks born to a hen within the flock are automatic members, most people keep the hen/chicks in a pen within the coop for a week then open it and let the hen/chicks mix with the flock.

In the future try to let them have at least 2-3 eggs so the chicks have siblings when they are cut loose from their mother. Otherwise they are often very lonely as adolescents.

 

[mendozer]

I only let her have two eggs (one didnt hatch) since i didn't want too many new additions. I just went outside to check on them, the little one was out of the cage again. She's gotten out twice now, somehow flying above the 4 foot height. so i guess that answers my dilemna, change out all the food to grower and just let them mingle

 

[WallyG74]

The “big” difference in layer food is calcium content. Layer food has a higher calcium percentage than say an all flock or chick starter/grower. If you read the labels layer maxes out at around 4% calcium and the others max out around 1% calcium. An obvious difference but not a huge difference. I wouldn’t be too worried about a 12 week pullet getting into some layer feed.

 

[Sonya9]

I only let her have two eggs (one didnt hatch) since i didn't want too many new additions. I just went outside to check on them, the little one was out of the cage again. She's gotten out twice now, somehow flying above the 4 foot height. so i guess that answers my dilemna, change out all the food to grower and just let them mingle

Chicks do fine on all-flock feed. Just provide oyster shell for the layers. Course if you have a big bag of grower that is fine too.

 

[rosemarythyme]

This pullet should've been integrated weeks ago. I'm amazed the mama hasn't turned on her from trying to wean her.

I'd switch everyone to grower or whatever you're feeding the pullet, easiest solution.

I thought about cutting a small hole in the chicken wire so she can go back and forth while the others can't get in

This works great... for young chicks, like 2-4 weeks old. A 12 week old is nearly adult size, so any "panic door" is going to be big enough that adults can squeeze in too, which has the danger of getting her trapped in a small space with an adult.