what age do you put the young hens in with the older ones

[troy4]

AND HERE IS ANOTHER PULLET!!!!

 

[troy4]

here is a couple more pics

well here is my rooster joe I like always put joa sorry about that his name is joe

 

[five is my dog]

wow gorgous!

 

[troy4]

thanks

 

[marvun22]

Um, am I lucky or something? My chicks are 5 1/2 weeks old and they are fine with the older ones, just an occasional you're-too-close peck. I do have lots of space though.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

Um, am I lucky or something? My chicks are 5 1/2 weeks old and they are fine with the older ones, just an occasional you're-too-close peck. I do have lots of space though.

You must be! Did you raise them from day 1 with the big ones? My big chickens used to puff up at my little guys every time they saw them.

 

[marvun22]

You must be! Did you raise them from day 1 with the big ones? My big chickens used to puff up at my little guys every time they saw them.

They were in their stock tank brooder for 5 weeks before I started introducing. The first day was a 1-hour supervision. The next day was an all-day session with me or my wife checking on them every hour. The next day was an all-day all-night with a check in whenever someone had time and it has been that way since.

 

[chicken farmer]

here is a couple more pics

well here is my rooster joe I like always put joa sorry about that his name is joe

He is soooo beautiful what breeds is he mixed with?

 

[littlebirchfarm]

I usually divide the run down the middle (it's 15x30) and today I let me 6 week old girls out for the first time. They have their own smaller coop and I give it a couple of weeks or so for the older girls and the newbies to get used to each other before taking down the fence and letting them mingle. There is some scrapping as the pecking order is re-established but they always seem to work it out

 

[Barred4Life]

Ok so what about food? I want to integrate my younger birds (just over 3 months old) with my laying hens. Last night a raccoon tore through my hardware wire and got in the coop...my most amazing rooster fought him off to the death (I tell myself it's just birds, but I cried for his bravery and for the loss of such an amazing rooster). The hens survived because of him, but are now without a rooster. In my younger birds I have a few cockerels where is the reason why I want to integrate them all together and slowly figure out who the top roo will be to lead and defend my flock. My only concern is the food. My 3 months old are on grower food, and the mature birds on laying ratio. They told me that chicks/young birds shouldn't eat laying food until they are at least 18 weeks old as they are not able to digest calcium and it's hard on their stomach. Is this accurate? Is that number an overkill?