What age is okay to introduce pullets in w/ hens.

[poultrylubber]

I have 10 eleven week old pullets.They are a large (ish). I was wondering what a good age is to introduce them with my three hens.
Also I was wondering what a good age is to start letting them free range.
Thanks

 

[shmccarthy]

It's a good idea to introduce like sizes. I put my pullets in a penned off area in the coop so the adults could get used to their presence but not hurt them. When they stopped peeping, they were close to the size of the adults, so I let them mingle for a couple hours every day. After about a week of that, I let them be with the hens in the pen overnight and everything went okay. There was never any blood drawn and they all get along great. It's a good idea to make sure the younger ones have a place to hide, if the older ones are picking on them too much. I took two old nest boxes and put them on their sides and made a small box. It had a small opening where the pullets could run and hide from the hens and the rooster. I found that worked really well, especially when I introduced my bantams.
I waited a while longer to let the younger pullets free range with the adults. I waited until they were about 15 weeks before I felt comfortable with it and they didn't go very far at first. They are all still free ranging during the day and there has been no problems.

 

[Percheron chick]

I'll add the pullets with the older hens as soon as they are feathered out and ready to stay out full time. Having a larger group of young pullets is going to be to their advantage because no one will be singled out. I do offer them a large wooden crate that only they can fit into. I give them starter in there and they will sleep in their box until they are ready to perch at night. I do have to stuff them in the box the first 2-3 nights until they figure it out.
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I let them tell me when they are brave enough to be outside the coop and run. I let my older hens out but the young ones tend to hang back and peer out the door but don't want to go out. My few of my 4 month olds are starting to adventure out but they tend to just stay outside the run. When they start to stress about it, they go back in.

 

[poultrylubber]

Okay Thank you for the info! I was thinking of waiting until they are about 15 weeks before putting them with the older birds.

 

[donnavee]

There are lots of different opinions on when to integrate and I really think it depends on how many younger ones you are introducing and the personality of your flock and how much room you have. Some seem to accept newcomers better than others and more space allows everyone to keep more of a distance.

For me, I bring my youngsters out at about 4 wks of age and keep them separate from the big girls for about 2 wks of see but no touch. Then I take down the fence and carefully monitor everyone. Except for snack time, the big ones pretty much ignore the little ones. I do let the little ones keep sleeping in their temporary housing until they are older since bedtime involves lots of pecking and jostling for roost position. But, my 6 young ones who are 7 wks old are currently free ranging and hanging out with the big ones - though they mostly stay to themselves and out of the way of the bigger ones.

Good luck!

 

[poultrylubber]

Okay thank you! So far they have been separated by fencing for about 5 weeks. My three hens are pretty docile except one, who can be kind of mean to the lowest hen on the pecking order. But she hasn't gone after her in awhile.

 

[aggiemae]

By 10 weeks I let pullets out with the hens during the day to free range since my hens are not very aggressive, they have 1/2 an acre with plenty of places to hid but I suppose this would be less safe in an enclosed run.

I put the 2013 batch out in the coop a few weeks ago at 12 weeks old. The chicks are going up on the top roost and though they occasional get pushed off by the hens they where going right back up. Then two nights ago I found one sleeping in a nest box and last night two of them were in it. So, although there haven't been any injuries or significant pecking I am thinking that the merging is not going as smoothly as I expected.

Tonight I tried something different. I got the chicks (nearly pullets) into the coop first then shut the door so they could get settled in peace. Later, after dark, I put our four (sleeping) hens on the roost. The one who didn't get her usual spot because the chicks where in did fuss a bit and tried to climb under them to her preferred spot but they wouldn't budge and she was back to sleep in a few minutes. I just checked and they are all still on the top roost in the spots where I left them. We will see what the morning brings.

 

[AussieHens96]

We mixed our 8 week olds with a 16-18 week older hens and they were fine

 

[poultrylubber]

Thanks Guys I am really excited about putting all of them together and then letting them all free range Hope everything was okay this morning!!

 

[aggiemae]

Thanks Guys I am really excited about putting all of them together and then letting them all free range Hope everything was okay this morning!!

I was up at 5:30 because I don't want my neighbors to complain, The pullets got kicked off the roost at first light but the older hens where much quieter today.