Moving Chicks Into a Coop with Hens

[tinastae]

I have six 4 week old chicks. I am wondering when i should move them into the coop with my other six 5 month old hens.

 

[Rose Quartz]

I have six 4 week old chicks. I am wondering when i should move them into the coop with my other six 5 month old hens.

I'd wait at least 2 more weeks, if you're able to watch them and take them out if the older ones are too rough.

8 weeks is normally when people add in the younger birds because they're usually big enough to take care of themselves.

It really depnds on breed and personality though.

I had a hard time merging a 12 week old Cochin, with older hens because she was just too docile to stick up for herself. She had other friends with her too, but she just hid in a corner the whole time.

 

[drinkoj]

Here's your bible:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop-brooder-and-integration.74591/

I did it with mine at 3.5 weeks by following the link above.

 

[floodthelast]

Do you have an area you can block off for them in the coop area? Or maybe a cage they can be in that you can put inside the run/coop? It really helps to give them some time around the others but safe from them so everyone has time to get used to being together.

 

[PalomaNova]

Here's your bible:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop-brooder-and-integration.74591/

I did it with mine at 3.5 weeks by following the link above.

I have also been looking at this, but when my chicks are 4.5 weeks old it will be 1st of september and where I am the temperature at night can get to 50s, while during the day is in 70s. I plan to use the heat plate, but I have not planned it out yet... Would be happy to hear how you will do it.

 

[drinkoj]

I have also been looking at this, but when my chicks are 4.5 weeks old it will be 1st of september and where I am the temperature at night can get to 50s, while during the day is in 70s. I plan to use the heat plate, but I have not planned it out yet... Would be happy to hear how you will do it.

I would pretty much do like the article author did (you can see the heating pad in a few pictures) and your writing about, keep the heating plate in there with them for a few weeks.

Still new to all this, but let me see if I can do the math right on this. 90-95F degrees 1st week, minus 5 degrees for each week... so at 5 weeks of age they can survive at 65-70F degrees (18 to 21 Celcius).

Just watch to see that they are filling in their feathers well so they can insulate themselves properly.

 

[Mamatomany123]

I have also been looking at this, but when my chicks are 4.5 weeks old it will be 1st of september and where I am the temperature at night can get to 50s, while during the day is in 70s. I plan to use the heat plate, but I have not planned it out yet... Would be happy to hear how you will do it.

They no longer need heat at4.5 weeks old. If you havent already, start weaning them from it

 

[rosemarythyme]

I have also been looking at this, but when my chicks are 4.5 weeks old it will be 1st of september and where I am the temperature at night can get to 50s

My version of early integration (you'll note that these are all plays on the same idea, using a panic opening) - https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/short-on-time-recycle-a-prefab-brooder.73985/ My chicks were off heat at 48F degrees before 4 weeks - so no heat needed and you really want to work on weaning them off it now.

I have six 4 week old chicks. I am wondering when i should move them into the coop with my other six 5 month old hens.

Have the chicks been in sight of the hens, and if so, for how long? I would not begin integration until they've been exposed to each other for a week or longer, with fencing to divide them for safety, for see but don't touch.