Introducing chicks that are 6-8wks old

[Lisa2222]

I have 2 hens (rhode island red and australap) which just laid their first eggs yesterday. I have 6-8 wk babies, two that are very large and are outgrowing the brooder area, one blue wyndotte and one barred rock. The silkies are still small and for some reason I have a runt for a blue-red wyndotte as she is the tinest out of the 5. Anyway, my older hens range my yard during the day. Do you think it would be ok to let the bigger two range with the older ones and then have them start roosting with the big girls and later introduce the other small 3. Or would it be better to wait and have the new 5 meet the other 2 all in one day?

 

[teach1rusl]

Personally, I'd wait and introduce them all together. That way, what the youngsters lack in age/size, they will make up for in numbers, helping to level the playing field. Integrations are RARELY easy or pleasant, and your young birds will be chased and pecked at. So at least if there are five of them, they have a slight advantage.

If possible, expand your brooder area with a simple ring of 4 ft. chicken wire...it'll stand on it's own. Try to find some way to keep the younger 5 together. As a matter of fact, if you have warm days, I'd take that band of wire out (put the youngins' in a cat carrier for transport) and let them "free range" with your big girls so that they can all start seeing one another...even if just 30 minutes to an hour on a pretty day.

 

[jkhenry]

i

Personally, I'd wait and introduce them all together.  That way, what the youngsters lack in age/size, they will make up for in numbers, helping to level the playing field.  Integrations are RARELY easy or pleasant, and your young birds will be chased and pecked at.  So at least if there are five of them, they have a slight advantage. 

If possible, expand your brooder area with a simple ring of 4 ft. chicken wire...it'll stand on it's own.  Try to find some way to keep the younger 5 together.  As a matter of fact, if you have warm days, I'd take that band of wire out (put the youngins' in a cat carrier for transport) and let them "free range" with your big girls so that they can all start seeing one another...even if just 30 minutes to an hour on a pretty day.

i have chicks that are 11 weeks old already in coop outside and have 6 new chicks 3 weeks old still in brooder in my house do u think it will b difficult to put them all together with other 8 when younger chicks are 4 weeks old since others are only 8 weeks older

 

[teach1rusl]

i
i have chicks that are 11 weeks old already in coop outside and have 6 new chicks 3 weeks old still in brooder in my house do u think it will b difficult to put them all together with other 8 when younger chicks are 4 weeks old since others are only 8 weeks older

Yeah, there will still be issues. It'd be easier if the numbers were reversed and you had more of the younger ones. It shouldn't be as bad as older birds, but it'll still be rough. They're still pretty vulnerable to injury at 4 weeks of age, so I'd monitor very closely. And I would recommend taking a week or two of gradual integration....

 

[jkhenry]

Yeah, there will still be issues.  It'd be easier if the numbers were reversed and you had more of the younger ones.  It shouldn't be as bad as older birds, but it'll still be rough.  They're still pretty vulnerable to injury at 4 weeks of age, so I'd monitor very closely.  And I would recommend taking a week or two of gradual integration....

ok thanx i took all 6 babies out to coop at 2 weeks old and stayed out there with them but had to play referee lol

 

[bugkiller]

I introduced 2 red sex links to my 2 existing bared rocks last year and when I got home the next day I found 1 of the new ones almost dead and half eaten alive. it was not very pleasant. The other one managed to fight back and now is fine but I will be introducing 2 more and culling the last BR so I am hoping the same thing does not happen again. I will be hatching these ones my self

 

[jkhenry]

out of the 8 11 weekers only 2 seem to wanna peck them the rest didnt seem to bother but then again i stayed the whole time and sat in run for bout 2 hrs with them i have 4 leghorns 3 australorps and 1 black sex link and the 3 weekers are supposedly rhode island reds