New chicks

[Duemig10]

I recently bought 3 new chicks, a Frizzle, Silkie (4 weeks old) and Jersey Giant (5 weeks old). I haven them in my house, when can I put them in the coop with my other chickens. I have an Americauna and Dominique (almost 3 months old), RIR and Barred Rock (4 1/2 months old) and Buff Orphington (4 months old). I have brought the new chicks out to meet the other chicks and they seem fine together.

 

[MiaBellaFarm]

I just purchased 4 Barred Rocks and 4 Rhode Island Reds (chicks)and have them in my house as well...I would be interested in the answer to this question too! I have no other chickens, just need to know when they can go outside.

I have a related question (sort of):

Should they have a light on 24 hours a day ??? They are in a room that has natural light from outside but I have a light on their cage as well, so I am wondering if I should leave it on day and night?

 

[cmom]

When you took your new birds out to meet your existing flock did you actually put them all tyogether? Or was it "look but don't touch"? There will always be some pecking as they establish their pecking order. The older birds may bully the younger ones. I always wait until my younger birds and older birds are all about the same size when I put them together. I did have a couple of bullies from my older flock that I had to remove for a few days then put them back in with the rest of the flock.

 

[Duemig10]

Two of the older ones came over to check the new ones out and then just went on their way. I also had them all out in the backyard not in their coop. I guess I will keep bringing them out so they get used to one another.

As for the light. I do not have a light on them during the day. The room they are in has alot of natural light. I put the light on them at nights just in case they are cold, but it has been warm where I live too. I also closed the vents in the room so there is no draft.