Integrating new chicks into my young flock

[wildgreen]

I purchased day-old chicks today to add to my existing flock of seven 6ish-week old chicks (one is a cockerel). I did so because I originally planned for eight hens - one died the day I bought it, I replaced it, a second died the next day, and one turned out to be a cockerel, so I am down to six pullets in the original flock. I am curious as to when I can integrate the new babies, and what the best way to do so is. The brooder is outside and I have let the 7-week olds free range for several hours a day since they were two weeks old. Now they free range from sunrise to sunset. I want the new chicks to be able to free range from a young age as well. There are four of them. Since the original flock is still so young and nobody’s hit puberty, I was hoping I could mix them sooner rather than later. Is this possible? What’s the best way to integrate them? Thanks so much! They’re all supposed to be pullets, but I’m sure I’ll be asking y’all’s opinions on their genders soon enough

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sometimes integrating chicks with chicks is harder. I would pen them next to each other for a long while, and probably wouldn't try mingling them until the younger ones are at least a month old, and done with extra heat. It may even take longer. It all depends on the personalities of the older ones.

 

[aart]

I've integrated day olds with 4-6 week olds.
Separated the brooder at first, but both groups wanted on the other side. I put the oldest chick in with the youngest and all it wanted was at the feeder there. The day olds wanted in with the group, I put them in there and they were fine, so I removed the wire separation wall after a day.
Both sides had heat.

 

[wildgreen]

Sometimes integrating chicks with chicks is harder. I would pen them next to each other for a long while, and probably wouldn't try mingling them until the younger ones are at least a month old, and done with extra heat. It may even take longer. It all depends on the personalities of the older ones.

Thanks! What do you mean by extra heat?

 

[wildgreen]

I've integrated day olds with 4-6 week olds.
Separated the brooder at first, but both groups wanted on the other side. I put the oldest chick in with the youngest and all it wanted was at the feeder there. The day olds wanted in with the group, I put them in there and they were fine, so I removed the wire separation wall after a day.
Both sides had heat.

This is encouraging! My 7 week-olds are no longer in the brooder. Maybe this would work in the big coop when they’re old enough.

 

[wildgreen]

Sometimes integrating chicks with chicks is harder. I would pen them next to each other for a long while, and probably wouldn't try mingling them until the younger ones are at least a month old, and done with extra heat. It may even take longer. It all depends on the personalities of the older ones.

Also, would you then suggest not free ranging the younger ones at all until they are fully integrated?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Also, would you then suggest not free ranging the younger ones at all until they are fully integrated?

You can free range them together. I would just not lock them up together at night until you feel comfortable they are all getting along well.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Thanks! What do you mean by extra heat?

Whatever you are using to provide heat to the younger ones. I guess I was assuming the older ones were weaned off heat.

 

[wildgreen]

Whatever you are using to provide heat to the younger ones. I guess I was assuming the older ones were weaned off heat.

Oh, gotcha! The older ones don’t get extra heat anymore (we’re in Texas). I appreciate all of your help!

 

[wildgreen]

Update! Today I let the 3-week olds out to free range supervised but I let the 10-week olds come check them out. The 3-week olds have been in their own small coop in the big coop for a week now so they are all very familiar with each other but until today I hadn’t let them directly interact.

A few of the big birds have been chasing and pecking the littles (surprisingly my cuddliest big ones have been the most aggressive, lol!) but the rest, including my cockerel, didn’t seem to mind them at all. They even all ate food together and only those few were irritated. To me it seemed like the pecky bigs have been really curious about the littles and now that they finally have a chance to interact they’re being extra excited…?

I guess I wanted to ask how much pecking and chasing is normal, and should I keep the littles away from the bigs still? None of the littles have been actually injured, just scared back into their coop after a few good pecks. This all seems normal to me but it’s my first time integrating little chicks with big ones.