Introducing This Years Chicks To Last Years Hens?

[Ira B]

Got into raising chickens last spring with three Rhode Island Reds and we LOVE our birds. They have proven to be such hardy birds and great laying hens that we decided got 4 more chicks of the same breed this spring.

My question/ concern is, when will it be safe for the little ones to let them into the chicken yard with the big birds?

The chicks are about 18 weeks old and have been living in our greenhouse. They are big enough now that I want to get them the heck out of there but don't want the bullied by the hens.

 

[Sweetlilbaby]

usually at 4 months old I'd put them with the bigger hens. They will be pushed around. There is a pecking order and they are at the bottom of it. Although the chickens I have at my parents house have a huge area (1/2 acre). It would really depend on how big of a space your chickens are kept in.

 

[Ira B]

Thanks for the quick response.

The grown birds have a yard that is about 40x65 ft and fenced but not covered were they are during the daytime. Attached is a covered pen area that contains their coup and roost. It is gated and I close it at night after the birds roost to make for a highly predator resistant enclosure.

My thought was to let them mix it up in the daytime but lock the young ones up in the coup at night so they don't get beat up before I let them all out of the pen in the morning. My guess is that they can keep away from the hens in the daytime in the yard. The little rascals are pretty quick.