Author Topic: At what age do chicks go in with the hens (Read 7918 times)

freethyme · « **on:** May 15, 2012, 07:39:56 pm »

Hi

At what age can I put our new chicks which we hatched in the incubator with the hens. They are in a large Cage with heat at the moment in the house, but will want to move to the hen house soon.

Any help and advice would be great.

Thanks for your help.

Nigel

Fowlman · « **Reply #1 on:** May 15, 2012, 07:58:51 pm »

Long time yet i'm afraid, i wouldnt even consider putting them in with adult birds until they are at least 10/12 weeks old. Once off heat and outside if you put them in a run next to the others you may get lucky and introduce them earlier.

deepinthewoods · « **Reply #2 on:** May 15, 2012, 08:03:11 pm »

they need to be of a size to be able to handle themselves, so 10/12 weeks is probably a minimum.

freethyme · « **Reply #3 on:** May 15, 2012, 08:29:34 pm »

So, is the best thing to put my old rabbit run (8' x 4') inside the chicken house with heat to allow them all to get use to each other. So when the chicks are 6 to 8 weeks old they could be let in together. Does this out good to you.
Thanks for help, nigel

chrismahon · « **Reply #4 on:** May 15, 2012, 08:33:21 pm »

I wouldn't dream of trying to mix them until they are laying themselves, or very near to it. They need to be big enough to stand up for themselves or they will lose confidence forever and be constantly stressed -and ill as a result. Also they should remain on growers until at least 18 weeks or to POL. Layers has too much Calcium in for young birds and can be fatal.

deepinthewoods · « **Reply #5 on:** May 15, 2012, 08:35:25 pm »

whatever age they are, theyre going to get the s...t kicked out of them, the older they are, the more likely they are to cope.

freethyme · « **Reply #6 on:** May 15, 2012, 08:54:10 pm »

The chicks are only 2 weeks old, i have a large chicken house 32' x 16' which the hens have half of it with the orchard outside. The chicks can have the other half, but no outside space. I also have a livestock building 12' x 18'ish which is completly away from the hens. I was not sure which is best, but I would have though that the chicks should be in contact with the hens but kept separated until a good size. Do you agree, Nigel

plt102 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 15, 2012, 08:56:41 pm »

I wouldn't risk putting a run inside the other chickens coop. We did that once with disasterous effects. The adult chickens banged at the door so much one day that they managed to get it open and our favourite little poland bantam chick was pecked so much he died. They were 10 weeks old and very strong and bolshy but it was still too early. Wait as long as you can and put the coops next to each other where the birds can see each other. You will see when they are happy and ignoring each other and then you can try to introduce them while you are around to take hasty action. Try to put perches etc in the coop for the new ones to use to excape if they need to. Good luck!

plt102 · « **Reply #8 on:** May 15, 2012, 08:58:34 pm »

At 2 weeks old, they would be as good as layers pellets to the adults! Keep them well away and warm.

in the hills · « **Reply #9 on:** May 15, 2012, 09:34:16 pm »

I dont think it would be a good idea to split the existing chicken house in half and put the chicks in one side with a heat lamp because I think it would make the house too warm for your older birds and this could lead to all sorts of health problems.

As Chrismahon says it is probably best to introduce the chicks once they are near point of lay or at least nearly fully grown. I think even at 10-12 weeks they could be picked on too much.

It maybe best to utilise your other livestock building for a while.

Fowlman · « **Reply #10 on:** May 16, 2012, 08:25:28 am »

I think it depends on your set up mine all free range over an acre and growers go out with the others at 12 weeks. If in a confined run yes i agree they need to be bigger and able to defend themselves.

freethyme · « **Reply #11 on:** May 16, 2012, 04:59:30 pm »

So I think what all the advice is saying, that I should keep the new chicks in my other buiding and introduce them to my existing hens when the are at POL. The only issue is that in my other livestock building I do not have any access to any outside runs etc. However, I can give the chicks a large space inside the build 12' x 12' which is large for 15 chicks. I will have a section with the heat lamp untill they a well feathered and strong.

If you think I have got it wrong please say, but a a big big thank you for all the help, great to have such knowledge at your finger tips.

Thank you all - Nigel

Mel Rice · « **Reply #12 on:** May 16, 2012, 05:21:42 pm »

Agree with the above. My chooks are completly free range during the day and I put new incubator chicks in a rabbit hutch with run when they are too big for heat lamp + box. after a few weeks I remove the run but keep the hutch for bed time. When they 'play nicely' together the hutch goes away (Some have left by then anyway) Even my single chick with a Banty mum was 6/7 weeks old before they were put in the house and it had mum to protect it. (I needed the rabbit hutch for the ducklings!)

kegs · « **Reply #13 on:** May 16, 2012, 07:43:30 pm »

Last year I added some 7 week old chicks with some 16 week olds and they were fine - but I did let them get used to each other for a few days between wire. Then I let them have the run of a large garden so they all had space to escape, and after a few days of that I put them in the coop together at night. From memory I think there was just one cut comb.

I would add though that when you put your chicks in your 'building' make double sure that your brooder is rodent proof - base, sides and thin meshed wire over the top (rats are very good at climbing). I had ours in our garage and about an hour after I'd thoroughly cleaned out their brooder a rat managed to grab hold of one of the chicks by the foot and tried to run off with it. It survived but lost two toes and had a permanent hobble!