When can my growign chickes be palced with the other hens?

[eqstrnathlete]

I have 4 young chickens that I have raised from day old. They are now 7 weeks old, fully feathered, and roosting in the temporary home. I have more chicks arriving soon so I need the temp home for them. Is it safe to place them with the other hens now? They are a decent size and healthy birds. They would be introduced to a flock of 5 hens and 1 rooster.

 

[Fred's Hens]

That is rough. 7 week olds are out gunned by the larger, tougher birds. Soon, you will have 3 different age flocks to integrate, I assume, one day.

There are many threads here. Type introduce or integrate into the specialized BYC google search you see to your upper right.

 

[mdbokc]

They can go outside but I would not put them with the others for about another 7 weeks. Just outside where they have their own area and be seen by the adults is fine.

 

[kitchwitch]

I usually integrate at 8-10 weeks, at night, when everyone is sleeping. This is after a few days of separated viewing. I have one hen I need to put in with the big girls soon and when I had her in her clear bin next to the run, my rooster kept trying to bring her food. it was cute.

 

[BooBear]

Seperate a section off with wire in the coop as a temp integration pen. This allows the original flock to get used to the new guys and keeps the new guys safe. They need to be in the integration pen for minimum of 2 weeks.
I go by size more than anything. The new kids need to be close to or at the same size as the birds in the main flock.
I have Silkies mixed in with the wyandottes so when the 4 mixed girls were the same size as the biggest Silkie I then integrated them.

 

[mdbokc]

Yep, about the same size, that's what I am looking for too. Have to able to handle some abuse and outrun the adults.

And I like them getting close to laying...which is about 16-17 weeks.

 

[braddeeadams]

I have recently started to let my 8 week old chicks run around my pen with my older hens and rooster supervised during the day....everything is going good.. the older hens peck at the chicks occasionally but that is normal, nothing serious...

 

[madgabmomma]

I lost all put one hen from my original flock a few months ago and so we got 2 pullets and a rooster to replace the others we lost. I put the babies in with momma hen when they were about 7 weeks old but there was only one big hen and she was out numbered. She picked on them and still does but nothing serious. She mostly keeps to herself and the other 3 do their thing. I think it's all a matter of whats best for you're situation. When I first put my 3 7week olds out with my big hen I sat and watched for over an hour and throughout the rest of the day just in case things did get nasty. I did not introduce them in separate pens first but it's a good idea I think. I have 5 bantam chicks in the brooder now and more hatching in 2 weeks so I'm going to just have to get another brooder b/c they definately won't be big enough I don't believe to go out in my big bantam pen yet. I usually just say go with what feels right too you in you're situation. Different things work better for different people.

 

[braddeeadams]

Yea on warm days I have put mine in a small dog cage inside the pen with my older flock. I did this for a few days before I let them out in the pen freely, it has worked great!