When to introduce chicks to older hens?

[kpg115]

I couldn't find a consistent answer to this.

I have 2 buff orpington chicks, about 5 weeks old. I am going to get a few more hens that have just started laying. The general consensus seems to be that the older hens will pick on the smaller pullets and should be separated at first. I've heard that I should not mix them until the chicks are closer to 2 months old, but I've also had people tell me that it is fine to keep them in the same coop.

When is the appropriate age to mix the two? I'm so confused

 

[Critter Crazy]

The best way to do it, is to have the chicks in an area seperated from the hens, but where they can see them. That way they get used to them being around, but cant bother them. I usually do this for a week or two. and tthis is what your end result should look like.

 

[kevin2010]

i would build a small cage next to your run and put it next to your larger chickens to see if they will try anything and get them use to each other and if nothing happens it will probably be ok

 

[kevin2010]

Quote:
this hurt my feelings while i was typing you posted pretty much the same thing

just kidding it made me laugh

 

[ozark hen]

I took a section of wire and made it into a circle and keep my newbies inside it for at least two weeks right smack in the middle of main coop. Everyone can see/hear each other without anyone getting hurt. When I turn them loose I never have a problem with the older hens.
I put chicken wire over the top so they are safe and I am able to put feed and water inside. Here is a pic of it when some newbies were being introduced last summer out in the yard.

 

[mamaboyd]

I was wondering the same thing. We were going to build another coop for our day olds that we get, but I'm wondering if there is a way somehow keep the day olds in the same coop as our girls that are almost a year old, maybe put a divider of mesh in the coop to keep them separate for awhile but still have the brooder lamp on for the chicks to keep them warm. Our coop is 8 by 12 and we currently have 13 hens. Any ideas? Oh, and we were thinking of getting about 20-30 chicks.

 

[justduckie]

I put my 4 week olds in with my one year olds last week. I built a divider in the coop with chicken wire and used an old dog gate across the bottom so they could see each other. I think tomorrow I'm going to take out the gate so they can mingle, but maybe give the little ones a place to go in case the older ones pick on them.

I was feeding them the other day and one of the hens got into the little ones space so she could steal some of their baby crumbles......she had no interest in the little ones themselves. She had one come up and peck HER! She retaliated, then went back to eating and never looked at them again. I scooped her up and put her back on her own side of the fence and she didn't seem to mind. I think my little BR's and Buff Orps are more aggressive than my big BR's.

 

[kpg115]

Thank you all so much! The pictures are especially helpful. My coop is big enough, so I'll section it off until they can get used to each other.

 

[dacasodivine]

A week ago I bought 2 RIR mixes that are a bit over a year and 2 BR mixes that are 5 months and put them in the run with my chicks already there. The chicks were 3 and 4 weeks old. No problems at all. They won't share the coop with the chicks yet though. I bring the chicks in at night anyway so it's not a problem. I do make sure they have shade and there are two water sources and two feed sources.

I think if you're mixing chicks to an established group of hens is where you get problems. That's what I was told. My run is 35 x 25 so lots of room for everyone. I just kept an eye on everyone for a couple of days to make sure.

 

[ozark hen]

As a safety step..........It is one thing to add chicks from your own place that have been hatched but please............keep any chicks/chickens that you have purchased from someone else completely separated from your own for at least a month to be sure you are not bringing something on your property and to let the new additions to aclimate to your property. I think if you go up to the learning center at the top of the page you will learn that is one of the first things you should know. It doesn't mean that you think the newbies are deseased but bacteria from place to place is different and it is important.