When to integrate the young ones with the flock

[emmak]

I have three adult hens who get along great. I also have three chicks, two are five weeks old and 1 is 6 or 7 weeks old and probably a roo. I have a brooder pen set up sharing a hardware cloth wall with the adult chicken run. My chicks have been spending time in the brooder for the past week. The adults have seen them and vice versa. My question is - can I start putting the two groups together? How old do the chicks need to be to hold their own with adults? Obviously, when I combine the two I will be observing for any issues of potential harm to the babies. Thanks for any insights.

 

[noodleroo]

It is best to wait until the chicks are about the same size as the adults. If they freerange during the day and have lots of room, that's ok for them to be together but at night, in close quarters, you don't want the littler ones to get attacked. Better to wait until they are closer in size...