How To Integrate Chicks Into A Flock Of Older Chickens

This is the system that I use for how to integrate chicks into a flock of older chickens. We’re not experts, so we always recommend asking the pros for the best advice. This post contains affiliate links, which may lead to a commission if purchased. This comes at no extra cost to you. Thanks!

The new chicks are now about 5 weeks old, and even though this isn’t quite old enough to go outside full time, it sure is close! (We ended up moving them outside at 6/7 weeks.) This is one of the reasons I love getting chicks later in the summer. Because the weather is warmer, they can move outside sooner than if it were just spring. Today, I’m going over how to integrate chicks into a flock of older chickens. This is how we do it, but there are a few other methods that work as well!

Here are the steps for how to integrate chicks into a flock. I’ll break down each one more below.

Introduce the chicks to the outdoors for 10-20 min intervals
Allow the chicks to spend up to 2 hours outdoors
Transition the chicks to spending 4-8 hours outdoors
Move the outdoor chick pen to be among older hens, while fully separated
Allow chicks to interact with hens without barrier but with an escape
Remove chick pen completely

1. First Trips Outside

We like to take our chicks for their first trips outside as early as possible. We usually do this around 2-3 weeks old, but this is heavily weather dependent. I like to use chick temperature charts to determine what temperature our chicks can handle, depending on the weather. Since we like to get our chicks well into summer, we usually don’t have to wait very long for weather they can tolerate. However, when considering how to integrate chicks into a flock, it’s important to note that chicks born in the spring may have to wait until an older age when the weather is warmer before being able to venture outside.

This is the pen that we use for our chicks, and we swear by it! We also really recommend getting these covers to protect against air predators and prevent the chicks from jumping out. We like to get 2 of each and link them together for extra space. They last us for years.

how to integrate chicks into a flock of older hens with play pen — Click here for the pen.

how to integrate chicks into a flock of older hens with a play pen cover — Click here for the pen cover.

2. Longer Trips Outside

Once the chicks have had their first exposure to the outdoors, they can start spending longer stretches outside. Of course, it’s important to make sure they’re protected from predators, and I still don’t really like to leave them unsupervised at this stage. I’ll take them out for up to around 2 hours at a time — usually I’ll be close by doing something like gardening, etc..

3. All Day Outdoors

By this time, the chicks should thoroughly enjoy their time outdoors. Enough so, in fact, that they start spending their time indoors either sleeping, or creating as much of a ruckus as possible to try to convince you to let them out again! This is when we transition the chicks to spending pretty much all day outside. When we wake up in the morning we let them out into their outdoor pen, and we collect them back into their brooder to keep them safe at night.

4. Move Chick Pen To Hens

When they’re happy spending the day in their outdoor pen, we move the pen closer to where the big girls free range. We find that the more free range space the big chickens have, the smoother the transition will go. Big chickens will always feel inclined to pick on little chickens. However, the more space that everyone has to spread out, the less likely bullying is to occur. I like to keep the chicks and hens separated with a barrier for around a week.

5. Allow Chick & Hen Interaction

Here comes the scary part! When learning how to integrate chicks into a flock, this can be the scariest step. Removing the barrier is necessary to allow the chicks and chickens to become fully acquainted, however it’s important that the chicks have access to a safe space to escape to. I like to block off part of the entrance so that it’s too small for the big hens, but big enough for the little chicks to scoot under. This gives everyone a chance to work out their differences safely.

6. Remove Chick Pen Completely

Once the chicks and chickens are all thoroughly acquainted and the size gap is somewhat diminished between the two groups, we move the chicks in to the big girl coop for good. Some people suggest putting the chicks into the coop at night while everyone is roosting, so that the big chickens don’t notice the chicks’ presence and everyone just wakes up together. This seems to be a fine approach.

We’ve also just let the chicks free range with the hens, and make sure to watch them when the sun starts to go down. Historically, our chicks have always just followed the big girls into the coop. We’ve never had to coerce them or put them in ourselves. However, I like to watch them the first few nights, just for my own peace of mind.