Letting new hens out with rooster?

[chickenbrained]

Good morning! I have 2 hens and 1 rooster. My neighbor gave me 3 hens last week. They have been kept in a separate coop. He said they were 15 weeks old and I shouldn't let them out to roam with my rooster until they are at least 20 weeks old. However, they are as big as one of my hens...and bigger then the other. My rooster has been "chomping at the bit" to get to them, doing his "mating dance" in front of their wire gate.

Question...do I really need to keep them locked up away from the rooster for another 4 weeks? I feel so sorry for them, pacing back and forth in their pen watching the others roam free! (They are all really just pets, although we do enjoy the fresh eggs!)

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[Mrs. K]

Size is what I would go by. So I would turn them out, or put them with the others tonight in the dark. 16 weeks is four months old, so should be getting close to full size.

mrs K