When is the best time to introduce chicks to chickens?

[Venelii]

i have two chicks from a family member that found them, I already have 19 chickens and I was wondering when It would be the best time to introduce the chicks to the other chickens. I already have one chicken that was raised by a human and joined my other chickens happily, but the one that already joined is all grown up and had some struggle fitting in. Not sure if I should do something about it

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Do you have room for more? The more crowded the harder it gets.

I generally integrate my chicks at 4-6 weeks. They are generally fully integrated by 6-10 weeks.

 

[TheSillyDingo]

I was always told that you'd want to introduce them when they are the same size as the ones you have in the coop at the time. I wouldn't know if this is like super necessary because I only tried it once, and the chicks weren't much smaller and they got picked on.
Ultimately you know your chickens and you are able to keep an eye on them.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I was always told that you'd want to introduce them when they are the same size as the ones you have in the coop at the time. I wouldn't know if this is like super necessary because I only tried it once, and the chicks weren't much smaller and they got picked on.
Ultimately you know your chickens and you are able to keep an eye on them.

If you introduce older birds they will be seen as intruders and there will be fighting.

In a flock of chickens it's perfectly normal for chicks to show up. The hens will assume they belong to someone and for the most part they are chased and pecked a bit but generally are accepted pretty quickly, so integrating younger is usually better.

 

[TheSillyDingo]

If you introduce older birds they will be seen as intruders and there will be fighting.

In a flock of chickens it's perfectly normal for chicks to show up. The hens will assume they belong to someone and for the most part they are chased and pecked a bit but generally are accepted pretty quickly, so integrating younger is usually better.

I didn't think about it that way. I was told by someone in a homestead group that you would put them in a cage inside the area in which the chickens are kept. I've got some younger polish that I was going to put in with my bigger polish and that was my plan, but now I am second guessing that plan.

 

[MinniesMomma]

I put my two week-old chicks in a coop inside the run. I left them that way for another 2 weeks, then in the evenings I would open the doors and let them out to mingle. I used cardboard targets to cover the opening of the doors and just cut a hole big enough for the chicks to fit through so they would have a place to escape. I did that for another 2 weeks or so, and now all the chicks mingle with the big girls all day. One of them has even started going to roost with them at night instead of back into the little coop. There has been some minor pecking, but nothing serious and everyone seems to be getting along...

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I didn't think about it that way. I was told by someone in a homestead group that you would put them in a cage inside the area in which the chickens are kept. I've got some younger polish that I was going to put in with my bigger polish and that was my plan, but now I am second guessing that plan.

Adding polish is a whole nother ballgame. If you don't already have polish in your flock they can become targets especially when older when their crests block their vision. I keep mine trimmed so they can see better. Definitely always keep an eye on those polish so no one start pecking at the crests. I still add them younger, but I always watch more.