When are chicklets old enough to be integrated into the flock?

[Granolamom]

Mine are a week old and in a seperate pen with their mom, in sight of the other chickens. Can I let them out? Has anyone had negative experiences? Sorry for posting this twice, but I really need some input from people with a bit more hatching experience than me (it's my first time...

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[eggsrcool]

I have read that after about 8 weeks, they should be fine as the mother hen is now ready to join the flock again and she often loses interest in her chicks after 6 weeks or more. My chick which is only 6 weeks, has just about left its mother and is now in the flock and has made friends with an ex-battery.