Integrating baby chicks

[Jgalla11]

Hello everyone I have a question for y’all. I currently have 4 two month old Barnevelder’s they’re currently out in coop and free range full time. I just picked up a couple Easter eggers and a gold sex link from local feed store. They’re about a week old. My question is when can I integrate them with the other chickens.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Okay..so 4, 8week old Barnies (love my Barnies btw) and about 3, 1 week olds.

Depending on your weather, the babes won't be hardened off the heat lamp for another 3 weeks or so (at about 4 weeks of age). They'll need to be fully feathered before you can consider anything.

I don't like to put very small pullets in with larger pullets due to hazing issues. I like to add at about 8 weeks of age...that would make the older ones about 15 weeks of age. Some would do it younger...but I wouldn't go earlier than 6 weeks of age for the babes.

When you integrate, do some fence face to face first, and be sure to give the littler ones room to run and places to hide from the older birds.

Your flock won't be super well established, and Barnies tend to be milder tempered, so as long as you don't have really young babes, and lots of room with multiple feeders and waterers, it should go pretty well.

LofMc

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC. Where, in general, are you? Climate matters.

Here are some useful articles on integration:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop-brooder-and-integration.74591/