When do you move the chicks out of the brooder?

I've not had good luck introducing younger birds--like 2 months--to adult hens. I've had youngsters killed by the older ones. I now wait until around 4 months, when they're roughly adult size.
 
I should add that the introduction should be gradual. Make sure there's a barrier in between the new bird and the older flock at first, like chicken wire. Slowly let them become accustomed to each other.
 
I do mine a bit different. I block off my chicken door with wire for a day leaving my grown birds out side and let my chicks in the coop at about 4 weeks. after a full day i black out the coop after dark fill all my spare feeders and an extra waterer an let the whole flock in to roost. we get pretty hot down here so i do have a portable ac in my coop during the summer so if its hot i turn that on and leave them in the dark over night. in the morning with the coop still blacked out i turn on a red party bulb inside the coop. half hour or so before dusk i take the black outs off kill the light and let everyone out. next day its business as usual. lost a few chicks yes, but with over 40 birds that going to happen. last time i added 25 chicks @ 4 weeks and lost 6. 2 were done in by my jerk rooster one by a hen and the rest looked like they were trampled. With turkeys out there thats completely possible they just got stepped on by fatboy and that was game over. Works well for me, but you really have to find what works best for you and your flock. -J
 

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