When can they go in with the big chickens?

[CaliTX]

I have 12, 5-week old chicks. I also have 6 fully grown hens and a rooster. I'm wondering at what point the chicks can head to the big coop? I don't want them to get beat up by the adults.

 

[Hillschicks]

When they are similar in size is the easy answer

 

[Hillschicks]

Trust me, rushing it is a bad idea... As my leghorn who was pecked to a bloody headed pulp will tell you

 

[CaliTX]

Thank you! I wonder how long it will take before they're that big, haha. They're starting to try to fly out of the brooder when I open it. Maybe I can make them a little run off of it so they can enjoy the grass and sunshine. Its getting a bit tiresome lugging them back and forth from the brooder to the x-pen i set up for them.

 

[Hillschicks]

What we try to do is build a pen inside the big chickens pen... The more they can see each other the less violent it will be when they are put together.. Whats the "x-pen"?? Is that something you can possibly put right inside the big chickens coop and make their current home for now??

 

[Hillschicks]

The ONLY part of chickens i dont like is introducing new to old.. Its never fun watching them re-establish a pecking order.. Thats why they say similar size.. Give them a chance to defend themselves

 

[CaliTX]

My chickens are free ranged during the day, only locked in the coop at night, so they've seen the chicks when they're in the x-pen. By x-pen I mean basically this: http://www.jindos.com/jindo/care/xpen.jpg

I might be able to figure something out for putting the chicks in the big chickens run, though I'd have to rig up some sort of roof. The x-pen won't fit in the coop itself. Hmmm.

 

[CaliTX]

Oh, I forgot to ask.. do they still need a heat lamp? I'm in Texas, our lows through the next week are 44 at the lowest and it looks like 50's later in the week. It's been in the 80's during the day so their lamp has only been on at night.

 

[Hillschicks]

A heat lamp in texas is the definition of over kill... 44 degrees is a nice day here in michigan... If thats your low then they are good enough if they have feathers... The way i figure it for something to freeze to death it would have to be freezing temps... We dont own a heat lamp... Hatchery chicks, our own hatches, tractor supply chicks, all fine... Once they have feathers they are good to go, especially in warm texas

 

[shmccarthy]

I have 6 year old Easter Eggers, one being a roo and I put my 14, 6 week old pullets in with them. I first put them in a dog kennel when the adults were free ranging, all the hens came up one by one and looked at them for a second, and went back to eating. The rooster came up, looked at them and walked away. A few days later, I fenced off part of the run with chicken wire and put a few roosts in with their lamps. Again the hens and rooster went to incestigate, and didn't seem bothered and went back to what they were doing. They've been in the run for with the adults, separated, for a week now and there's been no trouble. The rooster even got in there with the pullets, he was only interested in their food though.
I guess it really depends on temperament of the chickens but mine did really well.