Is it time to live with the adults?

[Mel Lloyd]

Our chicks are 9 weeks old, and the past 2+ weeks have been living in their "coop within a run" transition home. Which is a coop from TSI within the adult chickens' 40' X 50' run. So they've all been able to meet and interact with each other somewhat.
When is a good time to let them out to live with the adults? They're about 1/2 the size of the hens now. We have 4 chicks and 6 hens and 1 rooster.

 

[member 373180]

I usually integrate earlier than that and it goes fine but I don't have a rooster. The babies seem to figure out that they should run away and not pick fights at around 5 weeks.

Just be sure to provide some items to break the lines of sight that they can hide behind. I would also stay in the area for a while so you can intervene if someone's really getting mobbed. That has only ever happened to me with much younger chicks.

 

[Hteeter2]

I watch Appalachian Homestead with Patera, and she says to wait until they are about the same size. It is more risky to integrate any sooner than that. For my younger chicks; I'll be following her advice. My older chicks are 9 weeks old, and my younger ones are only 4 weeks old. When the time comes I plan to divide my coop right down the middle, and use one side as a grow out stall in about 4 more weeks. However I won't be integrating the two groups until they are about the same size. This is my first time raising chickens, and I'm going to do my best that I can. For my peace of mind; that means the safest route I can even if over-cautious.