introducing chicks to my current pullet

[billie007]

Hi, This is my very first time on this site and am really interested in any info I can get about my question. It is- I currently have one 13 week old isa brown that was given to me as a 6 week old. As you can imagine, she would love some company. We now have some week old chicks that we would eventually like to introduce to our current girl but am unsure of the best way to go about this. When and at what age should I put them in the same coop? Any advise would be very much appreciated, thanks.

 

[Tressa27884]

Is the older pullet in a coop / run all ready? If not and you have her in a brooder, I'd get another brooder and put the new babies in the brooder next to her, so they can check each other out for awhile. If she's all ready in the run, then I'd add the new chicks in something like a flight cage when it's warm enough, and they'll get used to each other. If they're all about the same size - you'll have an easier go of it.

 

[billie007]

Our 13 week old is in a coop already. Our week old chicks are still with their mum in an A frame chicken tractor. We have just been borrowing the broody hen to hatch the eggs- she wont be added to our chicken family, only the baby chicks. Perhaps if I moved the chicken tractor near our coop so they can all get to know each other?

 

[kari_dawn]

that sounds like a good idea. You may even be able to intro them earlier than I would normally recommend...if the broody is a good protector but not overly aggressive to other birds.