At what point should my older hens care about chicks?

[Carlyb22]

I have 4 2 year old polish hens and 4 3.5 week old chicks. I’ve never introduced chickens before so when it’s warm I’ve been bringing the chicks outside to get some fresh air and forage a little and get some exposure to the hens. First time I brought them out the hens ran over and looked at them through the dog pen for a minute then left. I’ve been putting them in a run while the hens free range and they couldn’t care less. They don’t even go near the run. When I lure them over with treats they eat and pay zero attention to the babies even when the babies are interested and come closer to the fence. I’m assuming this is a good sign?

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Are the chicks the same breed as the older chickens? I introduce new chickens at 3-4 months old. With Polish chicks (because of their limited eyesight), I would recommend putting them in at 4-5 months old. When you put them in, sneak them in at night. That way, when they wake up in the morning they might not notice that new ones were added, or asume they were always there. Adding them in at night has been the least dramatic way I've seen (and been told) to add new chickens in.
With any new additions, always expect them to take two weeks to settle their pecking order. Do NOT provide hiding places for them where the newbies will hide all day, because it will take longer for them to settle their pecking order and they may go hungry or dehydrate. If you do have space though, adding an extra feeder and waterer for the first two weeks is fine while they're settling in so everyone can get what they need, no matter if the pecking order is settled or not.

 

[Ridgerunner]

At what point should my older hens care about chicks?​

Hopefully they never will unless they are broody and they hatch and raise them. Even then they will wean the chicks and leave them to finish growing up on their own.

What I typically see is that until the chicks mature enough to force their way into the pecking order (usually about when the pullets start to lay) they form a sub-flock. If they invade the hen's personal space they are likely to get pecked so they very quickly learn to avoid the adults. This means they need enough room to avoid the adults during the day and at night.

The way I suggest is to house the chicks where the hens can see them during the day for a week or so. Then let them roam together when you can observe. The hens may show some interest but hopefully will very soon ignore them. The chicks will avoid the adults. It is a good idea to have multiple food and water stations set up far apart so the chicks can eat and drink without having to face the adults. I do not try to force them to sleep close together on roosts. My adults sleep on the roosts while the chicks sleep on the coop floor or even in a separate predator proof shelter when my main coop get crowded.

I'll repeat this. They need enough room to avoid the adults. It is not about square feet per chicken, it is about having enough room to not be close.

 

[Carlyb22]

Are the chicks the same breed as the older chickens? I introduce new chickens at 3-4 months old. With Polish chicks (because of their limited eyesight), I would recommend putting them in at 4-5 months old. When you put them in, sneak them in at night. That way, when they wake up in the morning they might not notice that new ones were added, or asume they were always there. Adding them in at night has been the least dramatic way I've seen (and been told) to add new chickens in.
With any new additions, always expect them to take two weeks to settle their pecking order. Do NOT provide hiding places for them where the newbies will hide all day, because it will take longer for them to settle their pecking order and they may go hungry or dehydrate. If you do have space though, adding an extra feeder and waterer for the first two weeks is fine while they're settling in so everyone can get what they need, no matter if the pecking order is settled or not.

The new chicks are 2 Olive eggers and 2 Rhode Island reds!

 

[Carlyb22]

At what point should my older hens care about chicks?​

Hopefully they never will unless they are broody and they hatch and raise them. Even then they will wean the chicks and leave them to finish growing up on their own.

What I typically see is that until the chicks mature enough to force their way into the pecking order (usually about when the pullets start to lay) they form a sub-flock. If they invade the hen's personal space they are likely to get pecked so they very quickly learn to avoid the adults. This means they need enough room to avoid the adults during the day and at night.

The way I suggest is to house the chicks where the hens can see them during the day for a week or so. Then let them roam together when you can observe. The hens may show some interest but hopefully will very soon ignore them. The chicks will avoid the adults. It is a good idea to have multiple food and water stations set up far apart so the chicks can eat and drink without having to face the adults. I do not try to force them to sleep close together on roosts. My adults sleep on the roosts while the chicks sleep on the coop floor or even in a separate predator proof shelter when my main coop get crowded.

I'll repeat this. They need enough room to avoid the adults. It is not about square feet per chicken, it is about having enough room to not be close.

They haven’t been near each other except through the pen fencing since the chicks are still so small. My Polish free range and I’ve had the chicks in the pen 3-4 times in the last few weeks and they don’t care. Once the chicks are bigger I was going to free range them during the day with the older hens (with multiple food and water stations) then put them in the coop when the Polish have already gone to sleep and see how that goes! I just thought they would be more interested in more chickens in their yard

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

The new chicks are 2 Olive eggers and 2 Rhode Island reds!

With these breeds, go younger (3-4 months). These birds are more aggressive (especially the RIRs) and obviously have the better eyesight, so they'll have an advantage over the Polishes. (If they're added in when they are fully mature, it may become bad for the Polishes.)

 

[Carlyb22]

With these breeds, go younger (3-4 months). These birds are more aggressive (especially the RIRs) and obviously have the better eyesight, so they'll have an advantage over the Polishes. (If they're added in when they are fully mature, it may become bad for the Polishes.)

I was going to have them outside starting around 6-8 weeks when they get too big for the brooder. Is that too early? If they aren’t comfortable with the Polish yet I was going to set up a dog crate with roosts inside the Polish coop since it’s predator protected for them to sleep in at first until they are all together full time. I figure free ranging during the day they would be okay at first since the yards huge and we have multiple food and water spots already

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

I was going to have them outside starting around 6-8 weeks when they get too big for the brooder. Is that too early? If they aren’t comfortable with the Polish yet I was going to set up a dog crate with roosts inside the Polish coop since it’s predator protected for them to sleep in at first until they are all together full time. I figure free ranging during the day they would be okay at first since the yards huge and we have multiple food and water spots already

6-8 weeks is too early to put them in with adults. Keeping them in that crate will work though. They will be able to see each other and get to know each while they're waiting to be old enough.

 

[Carlyb22]

6-8 weeks is too early to put them in with adults. Keeping them in that crate will work though. They will be able to see each other and get to know each while they're waiting to be old enough.

Perfect!! Thank you!

 

[aart]

6-8 weeks is too early to put them in with adults. Keeping them in that crate will work though. They will be able to see each other and get to know each while they're waiting to be old enough.

Age isn't really the decider.
I've learned that early(4-6 weeks) integration works much better than waiting until they are 'the same size', but you've got to set the coop up to facilitate it.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/