when to take 4 week old babies outside.

[princess of rainbow castl]

i have 9 new (4 weeks old) babies. i'm concerned about introducing them to the two old hens and one rooster. how soon; and how to. will they need an entirely new coop and fenced off area? i'd like to allow as much roaming as possible to all.

 

[sunnychooks]

I would NOT put them into the coop with the older birds until they've had a chance to be intergrated into the flock. I do this by sectioning off an area of my coop where the older and younger birds can see each other. I wait until the younger ones are almost as big as the older ones, then I let them out together. I usually get some pecking and chasing but they sort things out quickly.
Hope this helps.