Where to put them...

[gvilledh]

I own some chickens with a friend and coworker who lives around the corner from me. We have seven two week old chicks in a run with their mamma and 6 adult hens in a separate area. They can see them, but not interact and this seems to work well.
Three of the new chicks were grafted to the mamma hen when they were three days old and she took them right in. The person we got them from is also giving us to additional pullets that will be around 6-7 weeks old. The question is this-Where do we try to integrate them? With mamma and her chicks, or with the adult hens? Mamma isn't very aggressive, but I don't how she would be with two older chicks in the run. I am planning to have them in their own separate crate in whichever run they are in to start out. I just need some advice on how to do this.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

I think your biggest consideration is how the pullets will treat the 2 week old chicks. Mama can only protect them so much. Most folks recommend integrating birds that are close to the same size. Put them next to the current group so they can get to know each other, but not fight. After a week or two, try putting them together. Neutral territory works best for introductions.

 

[gvilledh]

This is sort of how I was thinking, too. I am considering a very temporary fenced off free range area, just for starting to put them together. It will be an interesting week or two, I am sure.