integration

[kelzey]

at what age can i start to integrate my new pullets into my flock? they turn 6 weeks in a couple days. i know that they are too small, but i’m hoping that i’ll be able to move them into the big coop before the winter comes, which is still a good two months away yet but still. they have a large playpen that i keep them in outside during the day, that i can move over by the big girls run so that they are in sight of them but can’t touch. is it too soon for that?

 

[3KillerBs]

Some people begin integration as early as 4 weeks.

Here are some useful articles for you:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop-brooder-and-integration.74591/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/introducing-new-chickens-using-the-“see-but-don’t-touch”-method.67839/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/adding-to-your-flock.47756/

And my experience with integrating a batch of 4-week-old chicks: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/integrating-the-splits-documenting-the-process.1469700/

 

[Frankiegirl]

I am still a relative newbie, but I recently integrated 5 week old chicks with my flock. I have them separated by a fence int the run like you suggested and they slept in their separate space but in the coop. After a couple of weeks I opened the fence with a very small opening so they could venture out and get back to safety if they chose but the bigs couldn’t get to them.
I also after about 2 weeks with the bigs allowed them to sleep on a separate roost in the coop as there was room for them.

I was told that it is sometimes easier to integrate chicks when they’re smaller as they do appear as big of a threat to the bigs. I kept the fence up until they were 12 weeks old then removed it.

There have been a couple of scuffles, but their integration went smoothly for the most part. also, I have 5 hens and 4 pullets. Your situation may be different than mine, but I hope this helps.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I do early integration, as the others suggested above. By 6 weeks mine would be fully living with the adults 24/7. So start the see but don't touch period right now, and have a plan to find a way to provide a chick safe zone within in 1-2 weeks. Many ways to do it, check out the links that 3KillerBs posted. By 8 weeks chicks are close to being too big to use those chick only openings so you're going to be pushing the limit of early integration as far as timing, but it's still doable.

In the interim plan on cluttering up the run/yard if you don't already have a good amount of it sitting out, as well as adding at least 1 more feeder.