When to put outside/ how to chicks to flock?

[Kalileigh09]

Ok so I work at a farm store and I bought a bunch of chicks that are different ages.
Currently I have a very large coop with just my 6 laying hens and and small 3x 10 run with some 9 1/2wk old barred rocks I hatched.

And I have some 5wk old Chicks inside I think may be ready to go out. The small run has been used for a quarantine/ brooder pen and I can add a heat lamp for nights.

So my plan is to put the older barred rocks in the coop at night when I’m off in the morning so I can monitor them and make sure my hens aren’t too mean to them.
Then if that goes well put the 5wk old chicks outside with a lamp on cool nights.
Does this sound like a good plan or does anyone have any ideas to make the transition go better im worried my hens will hurt the barred rocks bc they can be mean to newbies.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

So bottom line question is can 9.5 week olds be integrated with adults, confined in a coop? Is there a run? You only mentioned the small run so I'm not sure what setup you want the integration to be in. It sounds like they've already been doing the "look but no touch," so that's a good start. Have you given them any time together yet at all? I would never just toss them together and walk away. It's a slow process at my place. Look no touch, then a small opening between run areas (small run, big run, free range,) supervised by me, short amounts of time then getting longer, separation between runs removed when I'm confident there is peace.

 

[Kalileigh09]

So bottom line question is can 9.5 week olds be integrated with adults, confined in a coop? Is there a run? You only mentioned the small run so I'm not sure what setup you want the integration to be in. It sounds like they've already been doing the "look but no touch," so that's a good start. Have you given them any time together yet at all? I would never just toss them together and walk away. It's a slow process at my place. Look no touch, then a small opening between run areas (small run, big run, free range,) supervised by me, short amounts of time then getting longer, separation between runs removed when I'm confident there is peace.

They have only seen and heard each other no actual contact. The main coop has a larger run, 8x6 attached to the coop and a 13x 9 added on. So 165sq feet all together. Space shouldnt be a problem in there. Just worry bc my hens can be bullies I had to separate the bantams already bc of it

 

[Areyoucluckingme]

I typically put my chicks out with the adults between 8 to 10 weeks and honestly, I just put them in there and see how it goes. No introduction through fences. I understand others may disagree with this and I DO monitor. I make sure it is on my weekend so I can be around. There is usually a small bit of pecking at the newbies or chasing them around but it doens't last long and be end of day, I'm conformatable with them being around each other without worrying.

As for the 5 week old chicks - it depends on the temps there at night. How cold is it getting? I don't typically put babies out until they are 8 weeks old. I did put some out at 6 weeks old but that was pushing it and I probably wouldn't do that again. Most people will warn against a heat lamp due to fire danger....thats up to you. I'm sure with a heat lamp they will be warm enough but definitely wouldn't put them out at 5 weeks without some form of warmth.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

6 adults and some toddlers in 165sq feet can still mean trouble if you don't integrate slowly. Can you do supervised sessions until you feel they won't get brutalized? Have a seperation like a temp wire fence with a small space that only littles can get under. Also some yard trash for littles to get under. This what my integration set up looks like with arrow at point where only littles can get to the "little run." I feel like there is no such thing as to much space, just to little. Free ranging together is another great approach to integration.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

I typically put my chicks out with the adults between 8 to 10 weeks and honestly, I just put them in there and see how it goes. No introduction through fences. I understand others may disagree with this and I DO monitor.

Hey if it works, I wouldn't disagree. I think it depends on the flock, some it works, others not so much. Like my neighbor, taught his daughters to just toss them in there. They were telling me this while touring my coop. A few weeks later I asked how that went.... "oh they all died." So... The key is that you do monitor it. Toss in, walk away and hope for the best was nieghbors process, lol.

 

[Kalileigh09]

I typically put my chicks out with the adults between 8 to 10 weeks and honestly, I just put them in there and see how it goes. No introduction through fences. I understand others may disagree with this and I DO monitor. I make sure it is on my weekend so I can be around. There is usually a small bit of pecking at the newbies or chasing them around but it doens't last long and be end of day, I'm conformatable with them being around each other without worrying.

As for the 5 week old chicks - it depends on the temps there at night. How cold is it getting? I don't typically put babies out until they are 8 weeks old. I did put some out at 6 weeks old but that was pushing it and I probably wouldn't do that again. Most people will warn against a heat lamp due to fire danger....thats up to you. I'm sure with a heat lamp they will be warm enough but definitely wouldn't put them out at 5 weeks without some form of warmth.

It’s in the 40’s at night and the heat lamp is very secure. Locked in place with a clamp and only touching metal. I built the run with putting it there in mind.