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

[OnceInALifeTime]

I free range my chickens and i normally have my little ones out as soon as they are feathered, because i hatch a hundred or so at a time. I rarely have trouble with them, once in a while my little roo's try and be tough guy's but other then that its all good!

 

[vichee53]

Hi I put my chicks and mum in with my other hens when they were 8 weeks old.Had no problems at all.They are 10weeks old now and mum still looks out for them.

I might add that she's such a good mum even tho she didn't lay the eggs.

 

[MaggysEggsAidan]

If I were you then I would gradually introduce the young hens to the flock around the age of 8-10 weeks. Increase the time you let the girls stay out together by about five minutes each day untill they start to get comfortable with each other, then you can leave them out for longer periods of time. If there are any fights try to be on hand to break them up.

 

[troy4]

their way older then that their about 4 months old and you let them fight so they can settle it

 

[4 the Birds]

At 6 weeks of age they go from the inside brooder to their own coop area. They join the flock after a week or two interacting through a fence divider in the coop. Joining the flock they can then free range within a 1 acre fenced in area.

 

[Ivytalon]

I had to move one of my rooster+2hen flock to the bigger coup when we got a batch of chicks. The rooster had been beat up by the hens in the bigger coup when he was younger so we were apprehensive. I always put the new chickens in at night when they're all roosting, then wait ten or fifteen minuets to see how everyone is getting along. It seems to have worked for me so far. I put the babies in when they're about 2/3rds the size of the largest hen in the flock, and always do it in pairs.

 

[PrairieChickens]

By the time my chicks are mostly feathered out, they're integrated with the rest of the flock. There simply isn't room in the brooder area for the chicks to stay separated from the rest of the flock for four to five months. Sometimes, the chicks are even younger than that, if we end up with unexpected acquisitions. This year, I ended up picking up a pair of bantam chicks who couldn't have been more than a couple of weeks old. I tried keeping them confined to a brooder, but they were obviously miserable, so I took a chance and let them out into the run with the rest of the chickens. I already had a "chicks only" shelter built that the adults couldn't get into, and the two little ones quickly figured out they could hang out in there and be left alone.

I think it helps that when we acquire new chicks, they go into a brooder area where the adults can see and become accustomed to them. When they are let out into the run, they have plenty of room to run and places to hide if someone gets mean. During the day, we let them out to range, giving them even more space to utilize and plenty to do to alleviate any boredom or stress that may build up in close quarters. The biggest problem we have had hasn't even been with the adults being mean to the chicks, but some of the chicks themselves. Our little roosters have an unfortunate tendency to be rough with the other chicks, and I've had to correct their behavior more than once. Fortunately, a bachelor pen is in the works and things should be quieter once it's finished.

 

[dayers1109]

I put mine in at about 8 weeks. I built a 'hide box' by cutting a door in a Rubbermaid tote and turning it upside down. This was good for the smaller chicks to hide from the bigger ones.

The smaller chickens slept in the hide box for a few weeks, until I started taking them out at night and putting them in the coup.

When they were about 4-5 months old, I took out the hidebox all together. I'm keeping it for next year.

Notes...I put in 4 smaller chickens with 1 roo and 3 older ones. No major issues.

 

[LaLa Chickie]

My oldest is 14yrs old and she does well with the 9 months old outside. I have just now put the 9 month olds (2) in the coop without the baby fence. We had it up between them for 4months. It turned out the problem was one of my (3) 2yr olds was too aggressive and now that we've removed her to her own outdoor area, the others get along beautifully. I probably could have done this long ago had that one not been so mean. We don't even let her out with the others during the day as she stalks the young ones who are very docile Light Brahmas. She's the only "meanie".. It's a 3 ring circus ..

 

[buckaroogirl]

I put a little chicken wire divider in the coop. Usually in the corner with a heat lamp and the chicks stay there with the hens on the other side. Then once the chicks learn to escape I let them. They integrate themselves. Then one day I found this ... Big momma adopted them