[RobH]

Hi All, at how many week should I start to think about intro introducing my chicks, which are now 6 weeks old, to the rest of the hens. To date they have been in the own run but the rest of the girls free range.

I was thinking of starting to bring their run closer to the main coop over the next week or so before final introducing them to the main coop at about 8 weeks. Does this make sense.

Also when so should I worm the chicks for the first time?

[joyfull]

I take it that they are not with a broody hen? if not then they need to big enough to stand up to the big girls so you may be best waiting until they are around 12 wekks but yes moving them closer in the meantime will get them used to each other.

[RobH]

No they are not with the hen. Thanks for the info.

When should I worm them for the first time?

[hillfooter]

Worm at no older than 16 weeks as you don't want to disturb them when they are coming into lay. 

[gingerplant]

Hi, sorry to hijack!...
If they're with their mum can they be let out earlier? My chicks (piccies soon in chicken chat i promise, because they are super cute!) are all bantams and their adoptive mum is a pekin bantam, while most of the rest of the flock are bigger birds (particularly the boss girl Rosie who is a giant cuckoo maran!) - do you think she can still give ample protection?
oh and there are quite a few crows around and i've heard anecdotes of crows taking chicks - does anyone have direct experience of this? Would probably also need to be out to supervise cats too i'm guessing?!!
again, please accept apologies for hijacking OP!
:-)
thanks!

[themagicaltoad1]

We have crows around here, they tried attacking my girls when I first got them and they were quite small, we were new to chicken keeping and didn't realise they would be a threat. My chicks are in a covered run, they are now nearly 8 wks and are as big as the crows so safe from being carried off. I let them free range in the garden with the older girls when I'm out there to keep an eye on them. The two groups usually ignore each other most of the time but I wouldn't put them all together in a run yet.

[Nails]

Tomshooter, does that work???

[Chappers]

I just got 5 Rhode Rocks which are 12 weeks old. The breeder told me to wait til they are fully grown before i let them mix with my 2 old ex batts.

Paul

[hillfooter]

I just got 5 Rhode Rocks which are 12 weeks old. The breeder told me to wait til they are fully grown before i let them mix with my 2 old ex batts.

Paul

Yes but this is a completely different situation from a brooding hen who had been part of the flock now returning with her chx.  Mum will look after them and the other chx will accept them as part of the flock rather than interlopers so i don't think this advice translates to the situation RobH has.
HF

[joyfull]

my broodies take their chicks out to meet the others when they are about a week old and before that they can see them in their little runs from birth. I do however keep the chicks in their runs until about 10am when the crows have passed over and get them back in before 4pm ready for the crows returning. These times also allow for the chicks to have a morning and evening feed of chick crumb with grazing in between.