When is the earliest chicks can leave the brooder?

[afieldssnowyegger]

Hi! When is the earliest chicks can leave the brooder? When can they be introduced to adult chickens?

 

[Offshoreorca]

The simplest answer for when they can leave the brooder is when they are fully feathered (this varies depending on breed as some mature faster). I would wait quite a while to introduce to the larger flock though as smaller chickens are much more easily picked on and chicks should be eating grower and not layer - which is an issue unless you feed "all flock" supplemented with oyster shells. If all your chickens are super docile, then young birds can be introduced sooner than if you have more bullying strong-willed and feisty chickens.

 

[afieldssnowyegger]

The simplest answer for when they can leave the brooder is when they are fully feathered (this varies depending on breed as some mature faster). I would wait quite a while to introduce to the larger flock though as smaller chickens are much more easily picked on and chicks should be eating grower and not layer - which is an issue unless you feed "all flock" supplemented with oyster shells. If all your chickens are super docile, then young birds can be introduced sooner than if you have more bullying strong-willed and feisty chickens.

I have three sweet little easter egger pullets that are about 7 months old right now. They'll be about a year once I have the new chicks.. I'm hatching some silkies, olive eggers, and polishes in a few months. Should have about 20-30. I just can't remember exactly everything I did with mine when they were really little. Thanks for the help!

 

[Offshoreorca]

I have three sweet little easter egger pullets that are about 7 months old right now. They'll be about a year once I have the new chicks.. I'm hatching some silkies, olive eggers, and polishes in a few months. Should have about 20-30. I just can't remember exactly everything I did with mine when they were really little. Thanks for the help!

Sounds like you'll have a lovely flock! As soon as the chicks are fully feather (often around the five week mark) you can put them outside. You should always "harden them off" like plants starting a few days to a week before you intend to have them outside - let them out for an hour, then a few, then the whole day, etc. on nicer days if the weather is ok.

They should have grower or all flock until they start laying, so you can put them together before lay as long as this food is available to them (oyster shell flakes will help your Easter Eggers get enough calcium). I just introduced a 13 week old pullet to my main coop yesterday and she's doing really well. Usually I wait until about 15 or so, but the nights are getting cold and I wanted to sort through and sell my extra pullets before winter time.

 

[rosemarythyme]

When you say "leave the brooder" do you mean be allowed out of it at all, or do you mean completely moved out?

What are your plans for integration, if any? You can begin (and finish) integration very quickly if you set up in advance for it - here's how I do it: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/short-on-time-recycle-a-prefab-brooder.73985/

Mine are "introduced" to the adults as soon as we get them home, to begin the see but no touch phase. By 15 days old I taught them how to use my panic door set up, and they were given full run access with the hens. By 29 days old they had moved into the coop and were roosting with the adults.

 

[afieldssnowyegger]

When you say "leave the brooder" do you mean be allowed out of it at all, or do you mean completely moved out?

What are your plans for integration, if any? You can begin (and finish) integration very quickly if you set up in advance for it - here's how I do it: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/short-on-time-recycle-a-prefab-brooder.73985/

Mine are "introduced" to the adults as soon as we get them home, to begin the see but no touch phase. By 15 days old I taught them how to use my panic door set up, and they were given full run access with the hens. By 29 days old they had moved into the coop and were roosting with the adults.

When I said leave the brooder I was talking about completely.... When can they stop using the brooder heater? I'm doing a science fair project with hatching and raising chickens, and I'm currently in the planning stage. I'm undecided of whether I want to introduce them to my fully grown pullets or not.... Eventually, they will go to a family friend who keeps chickens. I'm studying behavior, activity, and hardiness/survival rate/ health based on breeds. I will be hatching three sets of chickens, each a different breed. The first set will be polish, second will be silkies, and third will be olive eggers (to compare to a mix breed). The only reason I would introduce them to my full grown pullets would be for behavioral studies. I do not plan on keeping the chicks (not now at least, but you never know.... chicken math ), so I don't want to cause unnecessary stress for my pullets- which is why I'm kind of torn.

Anyone have any ideas or thoughts about this?

 

[rosemarythyme]

When I said leave the brooder I was talking about completely.... When can they stop using the brooder heater?

I do not plan on keeping the chicks (not now at least, but you never know.... chicken math ), so I don't want to cause unnecessary stress for my pullets- which is why I'm kind of torn.

I fully wean my chicks off heat by 3-4 weeks (I now aim for 3 weeks, but since they're outside weather has a lot to do with it - with my last chicks I let them have heat an extra day due to a big rainstorm coming in). Temperature at that point would be high 40s-low 50s, for reference.

Silkies (and maybe Polish?) may need heat longer than that as I believe they mature a little slower and Silkie feathers don't retain heat as well as normal feathers.

As far as integration: Doubt it'll stress the pullets too much - they might be entertained by having something small to harass. But it is work to integrate, even if you take my relatively hands off approach, so you might find it inconvenient to go through it and then end up not keeping any of the chicks.