Putting chicks in the big coop

airynn

Chirping
5 Years
Mar 19, 2017
28
21
94
Can I put my chicks in the big coop with the big girls at 6-8w old or do I need to wait? 5 hens and 1 roo and then I’m adding 10 babies.

If I add them at 6-8w do they need to be sectioned off for awhile? If I section them off will the other chickens just clim on the roost bar are drop in to their little ‘coop’?

Thank you so much for your help! Baby chicks arrived 2 weeks earlier than anticipated and it’s still snowy here in Michigan.
 
Mine go to the coop sooner, with their heat lamp, but separate.
\There's a side area in the coop, fenced with hardware cloth, about 3'x5', set up for new chicks. They are face to face with the big birds, but can't be touched by them. After the heat lamp is gone, when they are feathered out, they start exploring the bigger coop and outdoors, so there's plenty of space for them to avoid the adults, but still interact. Time for those uppity little cockerels to get corrected by the hens!
Mary
 
@azygous is the queen of early integration. She has an article about her process which includes a "panic room". I believe she starts the process at 3 weeks. Many of us have found that integration goes much easier if started early on: between 3 and 8 weeks of age. But, you must have plenty of room (minimum of 4 s.f. in coop per bird, 10 s.f. in run per bird.) I find it easiest to do the first meet and greets when birds are doing supervised free range. I like to start the process just as soon as the chicks are off heat, around 4 - 5 weeks of age.
 
Chicks should go outside when they are pretty much fully feathered, but it depends on the chicks when that will be. ALWAYS separate the chicks from the bigger chickens once you put them outside. I put mine into the run of my small coop and close off the run to the bigger chickens (They roam in a small field around the coop (shed) and run) so they can see the chicks, but can't touch. Make sure the bigger chickens cannot get into wherever the chicks are for a while, until you put them with them.
Now, saying all of this since you are in Michigan and you say it's still snowy the time the chicks go outside might be a little longer because you don't want to put them out when it's too cold. I live in Wyoming so I know the struggle, lol! I recommend putting them out when it's a steady 55-60 degrees Fahrenheit, and sunny would be ideal. Hope I helped, any questions you still have I'll be happy to answer!:D
 
@azygous is the queen of early integration. She has an article about her process which includes a "panic room". I believe she starts the process at 3 weeks. Many of us have found that integration goes much easier if started early on: between 3 and 8 weeks of age. But, you must have plenty of room (minimum of 4 s.f. in coop per bird, 10 s.f. in run per bird.) I find it easiest to do the first meet and greets when birds are doing supervised free range. I like to start the process just as soon as the chicks are off heat, around 4 - 5 weeks of age.
The coop has a little over 4sf per bird once I add these 10 and the enclosed run has about 13sf per bird.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom