When to add new chicks to the flock?

[Tyler Matthesen]

Hello, I have 6 barred rocks that are about a month and a half old. My question is when should I add them into the big coop with my 5 red sex link hens and bantam dark Cornish rooster? My older chickens should start laying late this month or early next month. When they are all in the yard my red sex links chase the chicks around quite a bit. Is this normal pecking order behavior?

 

[GitaBooks]

Hens do sometimes chase younger chickens. When I introduce my chicks to the adults I just raise them, after they are fully feathered, with-in sight or sound of the adults so that they feel like part of the flock. I then let them slowly learn to perch with the adults on their own, either with my help or their broody mom's help.

Best of luck!

 

[Tyler Matthesen]

Do you think I'll be okay putting them in the coop? Or should I wait a while? I really want them to run together as a flock in the yard! The big chickens are free range and the barred rocks are in a small coop and run for now

 

[Tyler Matthesen]

My coop is a 10x10 with only 12 birds in it. As of right now the chicks are in one corner eating and the hens are in the other corner on there roost.

 

[GitaBooks]

The chicks will have to learn where to perch and to imprint on the new coop with the adult hens. Eventually they should start foraging with the others.

 

[Tyler Matthesen]

I introduced them this evening as the sun was going down around 8:30ish and the big chickens started to get up on there perch. Just walked into the coop "10:00pm" and there were 3 of the 6 chicks on the very bottom perch. I have 4 perch bars that are about 4ft long ranging from 1ft off the ground to 4ft off the ground. All 6 of my older birds stay at the top. Please correct me if I'm wrong by doing this, I do not want to wake up to dead chicks in the morning!

 

[GitaBooks]

A lot of people do this with success, so I hope it turns out well. Best of luck!

 

[ConPollos]

I introduced them this evening as the sun was going down around 8:30ish and the big chickens started to get up on there perch. Just walked into the coop "10:00pm" and there were 3 of the 6 chicks on the very bottom perch. I have 4 perch bars that are about 4ft long ranging from 1ft off the ground to 4ft off the ground. All 6 of my older birds stay at the top. Please correct me if I'm wrong by doing this, I do not want to wake up to dead chicks in the morning!

The-Chicken-Chick.com blog has a good article on slowly introducing new chicks to the flock. I let mine stay in a separate pen in the coop and run, where the older girls can see them, for 10 days before letting them free range together and share the same coop. At 8 weeks old they can defend themselves better.

 

[Tyler Matthesen]

Then that is what I will do. Thank you so very much for your help!

 

[sehfergy]

hi! we just rescued a 4 mo old rhode island red & after quarantine are introducing it to our established 3-chicken flock. the established chickens are 16 months, the new girl 4 mo, but size-commensurate. we free range our chickens. they've been in the yard together today & as expected, the 3 old ladies are chasing & thus far "gently" harrassing the newby. the newby (freddy) has plenty of hiding places, escape roosts as well as food & water sources. there's been no bloodshed & so far they're mostly avoiding eachother w/ the occasional chasing of freddy. my bf & i are not in agreement about how it's going-i'm not worried at the old girls' behavior yet, but he thinks it's worrisome & we need to intervene. thoughts &/or suggestions?