New Chickens - How Long Before I Let Them Mingle with the Flock?

[sunnysideohio]

We have a flock of 23 adult birds, 2 of which are roosters. It is a barnyard mix that has grown a bit each year, with that growth being from the flock itself. We have allowed 2 hens each year to hatch a small brood while remaining with the flock, raising them with minimal interference from us.

- We have 11 pullets joining the flock this year, 10 weeks old tomorrow.
- The pullets have been in their own coop house in the middle of the chicken yard for the past 4 weeks.
- The run on their coop house is fully visible to the rest of the flock, protected by hardware cloth
- All of flock comes and goes beside the pullet coop house during the day, so they’ve had these weeks to observe one another all day long
- Haven’t seen any aggressive behavior from the adults, just regular chicken curiosity at this point.
- The coop house run is getting to be a bit crowed as the pullets are now quite large

What do y’all think about letting them mingle during the day at this point? I’m guessing the pullets would band together and keep close to themselves, but I would definitely like them to be able to get out in the chicken yard so they can learn the yard and get bugs and all that.

The yard is plenty big enough for them to run away if any of the older birds get nasty with them. I just want to make sure that it isn’t too soon to let them enjoy each other’s company.

 

[Chicken_Obsesser]

I think it'd be fine, just make sure to supervise them.

 

[catsndogs4us]

What do y’all think about letting them mingle during the day at this point?

I think this is a good time. Possibly there will be a little fussing from the main flock but the chicks are big enough to handle it and they have seen each other a lot by now. What I've noticed in my flock, I also do the see but not touch method for a while, is that when the new birds are set loose into the flock there is a little pecking and checking each other out but not a lot and it soon passes. I usually watch for a while then walk away so I don't worry too much and interfere .

 

[Ridgerunner]

What do y’all think about letting them mingle during the day at this point?

I let them out of the brooder and with the adults at five weeks. Some people on this forum consider me too cautious and let theirs out earlier. My brooder is in the coop so the chicks essentially grow up with the adults.

Mine don't really mingle though. If they invade the personal space of an adult they might get pecked. Each batch is different but it usually does not take long for the chicks to learn to set up a sub-flock. They avoid the adults and the adults do not bother the chicks. It sounds like you have plenty of space so this should work.
I set up widely separated feeding and watering stations so the chicks can eat without being bullied. I try to not force them to share tight spaces so they have room. I do not try to force them to sleep on the same roosts but allow them to stay separated at night.

They are living animals, you do not get guarantees on behavior. It's possible you will have a totally bonkers chicken (probably a hen) that goes out of the way to attack them. Pay attention, as you always should. But I would not expect you to have any issues.