Introducing chicks

[riftnreef]

What, if any is a good age to introduce chicks to an existing flock? I would think the smaller, the less likely the other hens would care about their presence, but then again, I don't want them killed in seconds either...experience in this area would be appreciated.

 

[midget_farms]

They need to be large enough to defend themselves.

There are a couple of techniques to introducing new chicks to an existing flock you should consider as well.

I just introduced mine this weekend & they are about 8 weeks old. Large enough to run away but small enough to be able to hid if need be.

Technique 1. Set up a second run next to the first so the birds can aclimate to each other for a week or so before allowing the existing hens access to the chicks.

Technique 2. Sneak the new chicks into the coop late at night when everyone is asleep. Chickens can't count & if they wake up with more chickens than they went to sleep with they are none the wiser.


I have never used the first - but have been very successful with the second technique.

 

[riftnreef]

I should probably be more specific when I say chicks, I don't mean a couple weeks old either...nearly a couple months. Not really big enough for me to call a pullet yet, but I guess thats what they are. I come home to find them roosting on the side of the brooder box daily, so I think it's time for them to move on up...

 

[NonnasBabies]

You want to make sure the ones your adding to the flock are about the same size as your existing flock that way they can defend themselves. I intergrated mine at 16 weeks and they did great!! They had your normal setting the pecking order and whatnot but that was it!!


Missi

ETA: I added them at night when the others were sleeping!! Worked great!!

 

[riftnreef]

Has any one ever tried it before the birds were fully grown out?, or would that be a certain blood bath? Just trying to save some space and fencing if I can...if not, then so be it, this have never been a hobby of instant gratification...LOL

 

[PhilErvin]

I crossed fencd my run and built another coop to accomodate the younger girls. The bigger girls and the roo would try to reach through and pick on the younger ones. When the younger girls reached their full size I took down the cross fence(chickenwire) and let them all co-mingle. Funny thing is that they preffered their own smaller coop for the first week but soon started to follow the older girls into their bigger coop and fully abondened the smaller coop. The first couple of months the older girls would run the younger ones off when they were eating but they all eventually got along.

 

[NonnasBabies]

Quote:
I've read alot of horror stories on here so you might want to do a little research!! Searching "Intergrating flocks" and so on....

Good Luck with whatever you decide!!

Missi