When can I mix my new hens with the flock

[dublinmeg]

I have two 7 week old Delawares and four 1 year old hens. The four are 2 Americaunas and 2 Barred Rocks. I live in Seattle, where it is still very wet and we'll have a load more weeks with daytime temperatures in the 50s. My concerns are two-fold. Are the Delawares ready to be out in the run in the cold, damp weather? I'm also worried about bullying as they enter the flock. They have been sharing the coop with the 4 girls (though separated by wire mesh with a heat lamp) for about 3 weeks now. One of the Americaunas seems to shout at them every morning after the others have left the coop for the run.

So, are they physically ready to go out?
Are they likely to be attacked?
Will they know to return to the coop at night with the others?

Thanks!

 

[BusyBlonde]

At seven weeks old, they will definitely get picked on. I would wait until they are comparable in size to the other chickens you have to merge them into your main group, they will still have to find their place in the pecking order, but will have a much better chance of surviving it. At seven weeks old, they should be fully feathered, and shouldn't need the heat lamp any more.

I have month-old chicks that have been going outside for two weeks. They have access to their brooder during the day, if they need to go up under the heat lamp, but seem to enjoy the run so much that I rarely find them inside during the day - even if it is only in the 50's. The first week, I had to physically put some of them back in the brooder at sunset, but they now RUN in there if I shake a container of dried mealworms (LOL) - it makes it easy to put them to bed.

I have Barred Rocks. I did not introduce the chicks I'd hatched until they were 4-5 months old, and could take the pecking order abuse I knew they'd get from my older hens. I have 10 year-old hens, and 13 young pullets at POL. They integrated well, being a few months old, and having a lot of pullets to add to the flock.

Others may have more advice on integrating the chicks to your flock. Good luck!

 

[dublinmeg]

Thanks. We were hoping to have them mix earlier. They are confined to a pretty small place in the coop, and we don't really have a way to let them into the big run without mixing them with the 1 year olds. I'm on complete bed rest expecting twins, so can't supervise or get them in and out each day even if we were able to fence off part of the run. We have a large run for 6 hens, and don't let them free range unless I can be out and about due to the large number of bald eagles and hawks we have flying about. So it'd be hard to have the big girls out of the run and the little ones in. Hopefully I can do some more of this when the twins arrive...My husband works full-time and keeps busy enough just feeding and mucking and such...

Anyone else have luck mixing young ones in earlier to a small flock?

 

[FrizzlesRule]

Seven weeks is to young. They are not fully grown and will definitely get picked on by the older hens. I'd wait until they are atleast 12 weeks old.

 

[TheSitcomGirls]

At above age eight weeks I put my young ones in a covered wire pen in the middle of the coop with my big chickens.

Then a week later I open the door to the pen during the day and prop it open just wide enough so that the young ones can come and go, but the big hens can't! The young ones have to have a place to go to get away from the big mean chickens. At first only the brave dare to come out but after a few days everybody is outside running with the big chickens. (Or should I say being chased!)

I do not confine them together at night in the main coop until about 11 weeks. By then they have worked it all out. Half of the babies usually start roosting with the big chickens on their own. I guess it depends on your flock and how comfortable they are with newcomers. Mine don't seem to mind.