What Age Do You Incorporate New Chicks Into The Flock?

[france]

My chicks are in the coop but inside a metal dog crate. So together with the flock but
apart. What is a good age to let them all be together?

 

[france]

Anyone???? Do I wait until they are 5 months old? 4 months? 6 months?

 

[Mother of All]

I have 13 hens that at about 8 weeks old I moved them out side where the older ones could be around them but not with them. About 12 weeks old I like them free range with the others and that was 1 week ago. all's doing great.

 

[Eliza]

I had only one survivor of the LG bator.... that's another story! The lone survivor is 1 month old last Friday - so what's the time frame to introduce. Right now it's living under the sleeping tray which forms a kinda long box with an open front which I have screened in the front. The others can see in but they can't touch! Leaving chickie in there until she's 12 weeks old seems kinda long time.....

 

[underground chickenman]

I recently put my eight 10-week old pullets in the coop with six full grown hens (over a year old). At first the old ones would keep the young ones away from the food and water so I would have to go out there a few times a day to shoo the older ones out of the way so the younger ones could tank up on food and water, but after less than a week, they had it all pretty well sorted out. They now all roost together and eat and drink together. No problems.

UGCM

 

[silkiechicken]

I brood mine outside and let them roam at about 4 weeks or so. Sometimes I tractor them for 2 months. But I don't force them to sleep with the big girls till about 4 months old despite ranging together for a few months by then. If it is just one, wait till they are about the same size, or the big ones can really do some damage to the young one with picking and their panicking to get away. Of course, if you don't have multiple tractors and just a few birds, you can pop them together earlier and probably get away with it. 20+ adults vs 1 baby usually doesn't turn out well.

 

[Vermontmaple]

I'm having the same problem/issue. Today we "won" 5, 2 week old chicks. I really don't have anything to put them into. I have them in the coop right now but wondered how they would do with my 10 month old hens................any thoughts?