Need some help adding to my flock

[boats317]

After doing some reading i really havent found out what i'm looking for. I understand the run within a run etc..but my question is at what age is best? and at this time of year what do i do?

I have right now 4 six month old hens and 3 six month old guinea that are doing just fine in the coop out in the barn. In my garage brooder i have two 9 week old hens. When is the best time to introduce them? Here is the problem i'm facing...Its getting cold quick in the midwest and within another month it will be high 20's etc...All i have is a 40w light in the coop in the barn, I can't leave the younger ones exposed to the temps over the next few weeks while the others get used to them, whats my options here?

We also just hatched yesterday 6 of 8 new chicks, they're brooder is seperate from the garage brooder, but i see a problem coming up over the next month or so when they out grow that one. This was a lesson learned on my part on when to hatch new chicks and dealing with the winter months, now i need to fix it.

thanks
Brian

so i have;
outside barn--- 7 total birds at 6 months old ( all hens)
garage stage 2 brooder---2, nine week old hens
garage baby brooder------6 one day old chicks

got my hands full!

 

[Granny Hatchet]

i am in the same spot you are. funny. i think #1 is heat for babies, i started building a new brooder today large enough to fit my older babies in and i plan on keeping it out of the wind and close to elect. i will introduce in the spring unless the weather allows me to build a run next to the coop for intros. now i can spread my little ones out in the old brooders with the heat lamp and im sure they will be there until spring and when the older babies go in the main coop, the little ones will be ready for the larger one i built today. i have to say, its the watering im dreading the most.

 

[boats317]

hmm, i understand what your doing there, i just hate the thought of another brooder on my end. I can leave the 9 week olds in the garage, but eventually when the babies get too big then i have no place to put them unless i do build another brooder i guess in the garage...this is frustrating. I just assumed the 9 week olds would be big enough to put in my flock, but i'm thinking they need to be closer to the size of the 6 mo olds.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

i have heard 3-4 months is good but i will say, if i have to do that in the winter its going to be hard. throw them in and hope for the best, just dont watch ! haha the only time i have had trouble is when i only add one. i have taken things like half a cat litter box with the small cut out on them and put the little ones in there but they can come out if they want, it just gives them a place to hide if they need to.and i also put their feeder and waterer next to it so they can dart in and out. might be an option for you.