When to integrate the new ones with the old......

[ThinkingChickens]

So, our new girls are about 4.5 weeks old. Our older girls are 19-20 weeks old. Right now the younger girls spend their days in a pen outside in the chicken yard (covered of course). The big girls check them out. Occasionally the big girls charge the gate, but then get distracted and go after a fly. So, when can I let them all be together? We are building a walk in run. Should I wait and then put them all in the new run at the same time so it's new to them all? Will the girls be big enough at six weeks to get along? Just wondering.

 

[newtochickens63]

I have the same question but in a different form!

We just started out with our chickens in April (our first time). So our chickens are about 10 weeks old. We started out with 20 and are down to 15. We would like to order another batch of chicks, but we were wondering how long we would need to keep them apart. How old would the new chicks need to be before they could all be put together?

Thanks!

newtochickens63

 

[valley ranch]

It is your first post and already you have hijacked a thread. I'm sure you didn't know that's what you were doing.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Best thing to do is wait until they are the same size or the larger hens will pick on them. And, my thought would be to put the little ones in the new area first and then add the old ones. THEM going into their territory is easier if you ask me. If you do add them when they are smaller please watch close so no harm comes to little ones

 

[valley ranch]

I would not rush to put 4 1/2 week old chick in with 5 month old girls. We have a large cage in the chicken coop where they spend the night. When the chickens are let out to free range during the day in the corral they are out also but they can keep out of the larger chicken's way. At night they go back into the cage. When they get bold and began to hang out near the older girls, we feel, they can be cooped together.

 

[love-my-wolves]

I have 5 pullets that I didn't introduce to my older hens until they were 11 weeks old. At that age I put their temporary run and house next to the big girls and put their food dishes right next to the fences on either side. Then I waited another week to put them together. Everyone gets along, no picking, no fights besides determining pecking order, which was a surprise to me, 4 of the 5 pullets are in the top 7 of the new pecking order! How funny is that? My bantams were a bit different, I have a teeny tiny hen that is always picked on by the bigger hens, she went right in with my 5 week old bantams, and she's still at the bottom of the pecking order, but at least they are all the same size!

The rule is they should be the same size, and I always make sure there is enough room to run away and hide if they are getting picked on too much. I have a slightly raised coop that is just right for hiding under. And always watch, watch, watch for several days to make sure they are all safe and getting along. Oh, and treats, lots and lots of treats

 

[ThinkingChickens]

Oh I definitely wasn't thinking now! Ha ha. I was thinking when the younger ones were maybe 10-11 weeks or something along there. I'll definitely take it slow. I wish I had just gotten all of them at the same time, but I guess we'll have this issue if some should perish as well so I might as well become an expert. ha ha

BTW, no harm on hijacked threads. Any thread of mine is open to conversation. Welcome to BYC!

 

[ELLY1]

Hi still not sure how to use this but here goes,one of my chickens died last week, which meant we were down to 1,an x battery so we got 5 more the week end,a BLUEBELL,COLUMBINE,SPECKELDY,COPPER BLACK and a LIGHT SUSSEX 20 weeks old all doing well together, I thought that they would attack the one on her own but no, she attacks the others, I have her in a pen on her own but in the main run and let her out when the others are in their pen, i let them out for a while together, but she just bites and pulls the feathers out, its not nice to see they are frightend of her so I have to put her back they can see each other, what can I do she realy is nasty with them.