How can I put 25 9 weeks old pullets in with 13 hens and 2 roosters?

[jtotherow]

I have been doing this since 2008 and still have trouble deciding when and how. Although, this is the first time I have had Roosters!

 

[Judy]

The roosters might actually help keep things under control.

The rule of thumb is, when the young ones are about the same size as the adults. But plenty of people integrate sooner than that without serious consequence. I'll give you a link to an article with lots of suggestions. They are towards the end; the first part is mostly about quarantine, which probably doesn't apply to you.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

 

[azygous]

You can merge smalls with large as long as you provide escape for the smalls so they can find safety.

I make a pen for them with small pop holes too small for the bigs to get through. Their food and water is inside their safety pen so the bigs can't bully them away from eating.

Or you can do something as simple as tossing a tree branch with leaves on it so they can hide under it of chased. In the coop, I usually put up partitions on the roosts to the bigs can't push the babies off.

You can do it but be prepared to referee a lot.

 

[jtotherow]

Thanks. Great read! One question left. My 25 girls are already about the size of my 13 hens. The black rocks are pretty aggressive and the white rocks. Will the size of the new flock help any at all? Does the majority help even it out?

 

[jtotherow]

Well they are open to go where they please. Their coop has been open for 3 hours and so far so good. Roosters seem to be protecting the younger ones. Will post pictures later.

 

[jtotherow]

Oh Lord! I have two of my chickens that went broody and both are now in the same nest. We have two nest of 4 that have enough room for two hens at a time. They have always laid like this. I guess she got tired of having her eggs moved. Now they are a tag team of pecks if you get near them. Both facing outward and eggs under them!

 

[jtotherow]

Oh Lord! I have two of my chickens that went broody and both are now in the same nest. We have two nest of 4 that have enough room for two hens at a time. They have always laid like this. I guess she got tired of having her eggs moved. Now they are a tag team of pecks if you get near them. Both facing outward and eggs under them!

Now there are three Brooding.

 

[jtotherow]

Chicks have been doing great and here are the pics of them together after it rained a hard rain this afternoon. Our roof over our water area and shade area
started to fall. My husband braced it until he can repair it.

 

[harleyflames]

I love the picture with all the different color birds together, so pretty