What age is best when introducing hand reared chicks to older flock.

[Granny_J]

Hi everyone. Could someone please tell me at What age is best when introducing hand reared chicks to older flock also at what age can a rooster be put with the hens?. Thanks.

 

[JustBabyMargo]

Hi everyone. Could someone please tell me at What age is best when introducing hand reared chicks to older flock also at what age can a rooster be put with the hens?. Thanks.

For the chicks we normally wait to put them outside (but separated from the main flock) until they are at least one month old. Then we put them with the older flock once they are at least two months old. But we take the chicks on field trips through the run to get everyone used to each other before fully putting them in there to live. How old is the rooster? How old are the hens?

 

[Granny_J]

For the chicks we normally wait to put them outside (but separated from the main flock) until they are at least one month old. Then we put them with the older flock once they are at least two months old. But we take the chicks on field trips through the run to get everyone used to each other before fully putting them in there to live. How old is the rooster? How old are the hens?

My Rooster is 18 months and my hen is 8 weeks old.

 

[kurby22]

I waited until my new babies were 8 weeks for first introductions where they could see but not touch, and just started at 9 weeks for short, supervised together time (30-40 mins). I have done this three times and tonight was the first night my older hens (5.5 months) didn’t pull out feathers only chased them around some. I’ll probably do that a couple more times and try full integration at 12 weeks. That way they’re pretty good sized and can hold their own better.

 

[JustBabyMargo]

My Rooster is 18 months and my hen is 8 weeks old.

How many hens do you have?

 

[Granny_J]

How many hens do you have?

For this rooster just one hen at the moment. I have 4 more in the brooder but only 4 weeks old.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Your baby hens (which are considered "pullets" until they are a year old) will not be ready for a rooster until they are ready to start laying eggs, at about 4 to 6 months of age or possibly even older. You need to keep the rooster away from them until then, as he could hurt them. They are just babies.

 

[JustBabyMargo]

For this rooster just one hen at the moment. I have 4 more in the brooder but only 4 weeks old.

I’m thinking until the 4 week old chicks are like 4 months. Just so you don’t run into over mating. But maybe someone else will have a better suggestion.

 

[Granny_J]

Your baby hens (which are considered "pullets" until they are a year old) will not be ready for a rooster until they are ready to start laying eggs, at about 4 to 6 months of age or possibly even older. You need to keep the rooster away from them until then, as he could hurt them. They are just babies.

Thank you.

 

[JustBabyMargo]

So you have one hen, one rooster, and four chicks? All separated? Just making sure I’m thinking correctly.