When can the chicks be put in with the older one's?

[CrazyFowlFreak]

I have one month old chicks and. Fourish month old chicks. When is it safe to introduce the little one's to the bigger one's? Thanks!!

 

[Chicken Ninja]

It depends on how many of each age you have. It would be better off if there were a lot of smaller ones and fewer bigger ones: either way you have it the transition could be a bit rough.

I'd wait until the younger ones are at least half the size of the older ones, then it should go alright. You could even introduce them if you wanted now, but things might be pretty rocky for the first week or two, so you'd have to watch them.

Posting pics would help. Combining flocks is a deed that has to be done, so good luck with doing it.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You might try reading this article, especially the second half. It should help you.

Buff Hooligan’s Adding to your flock
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-adding-to-your-flock

 

[Chickeeta]

I have 5 hens and a rooster and 14 seven-week old chicks. When the chicks were 2 weeks I put them in a brooder pen outside so that my 5 free-ranging hens and my rooster could get used to them. At 4 weeks I moved them into the main pen and coop and it worked out fine. The chicks stick together and tend to put some distance between them and the hens/rooster except in the mornings when they all crowd up to the gate together to be let out. The hens run the chicks off when they are eating and take an occasional peck at them, but nothing serious. Perhaps it's working because I have a lot more chicks than older ones.

 

[CrazyFowlFreak]

I have 9 older ones and 14 younger ones. Would that work? The younger ones are the size of an 8 week old kitten and the older ones the size of a grown cat. Does that help any? About one pound to 5 pounds, respectively.
Thank you for the link, Ridgerunner, off to read now...

 

[newchicksnducks]

I just recently added my seven 6 week old chicks to the three 11 week older chicks. They had been living side by side in the hen house with a poultry net divider. I let them all loose in the outdoor pen. The three EE all treated the younger birds differently. One charged the young ones and tried to peck, one ignored the little girls, and one tried to mother them. Go figure. But with 7 to 3 odds, the young ones had no real problem. They did group together, and when the one EE tried to charge or peck, another of the young ones would fly in to distract it. They've been together 3 days now...and the young ones have learned to roost too! You might want to give it a little bit of time, but in the next couple of weeks you should be able to integrate your birds.