Introducing new chicks to 8-10 week old pullets

[MarinR]

Well, I went to a swap today to "look" and came home with four new chicks (easter egger, cochin, silver dorking, and cuckoo marans). They are so cute and sleeping soundly in their brooder box right now. Am looking for any advice on how/when to introduce them to my other birds who are between the ages of 8 and 10 weeks old. They are living outside and loving life right now. That flock consists of a couple of leghorns, orpingtons, wyandottes and a buff brahma. We are beginning to suspect one of the orpingtons as being a cockerel, but we are not sure yet. Anyway, I'm looking for any advice on when I should bring the babies outside (we have a small a frame coop, with run underneath, to keep them in for as long as we need to) and how to slowly incorporate them into my flock. My youngest chick, the cochin, is only 2 weeks and the other three are four weeks. Being July in NH, days are nice and warm (80's-90's) and nights vary, but can still dip down to the high 50's-60's. I'm thinking a 60 watt bulb in the top part of the catawba coop will be alright? What do you think?

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Its a good idea to quarentine the new chicks first...after that they will be ready to mix in

 

[MarinR]

Absolutely. That's the plan for at least 3 weeks. What's the best way to introduce them though?They'll still be so much smaller than the others. I'm worried they'll get hurt it I do it too soon...

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

when I relocate a chicken I like to keep them locked in for three days - so they know the coop is home. I have a separate pen inside the coop, with hardwire screen so they can see everyone else. If they free range it's good because when there are squabbles the looser can run away. I have had outdoor pens for feeding with a chicken wire tunnel so the little guys can go inside for their share of scratch. Best time to add chickens is at night, so when they wake up, they wonder if maybe they've been there the whole time! kidding a little. Expect a few pecks, and a mouthful of feathers here and there, until the little ones learn to stay out of the way of the big kids. Three weeks is a little young, it would be easier on them at four and five weeks or if they can have a safe place to be.