Introducing new chicks to flock

[mommy of two]

When can I introduce my chicks to the flock? They are one week and three days old right now. How old do they have to be?

 

[nbenevento]

It's more about size than age. They need to be close to the same size as the older birds. If they are considerably smaller it will not go well at all and can even result in death. You are probably looking at 14 to 16 weeks. Even then they will need to establish the pecking order. You may have already read about how to introduce them to ease the pecking a little. Put them in a separate cage within your pen or coop with their own water and food for a week or more if you want. After doing that, put them on the roost at night with the flock. Some say if they wake up together, it makes it easier. Eve then though, they will still need to sort out the pecking order.

 

[mommy of two]

Yeah, our oldest chickens are 2 1/2 months old and our 3 little chicks are 2 1/2 weeks old.