Main Takeaways:
- In general, chicks can go into the coop when they’re fully feathered, and close to the same size as hens (about 10 – 12 weeks)
- I’ve had success introducing sooner, but they need to be big enough to defend themselves
- If you have multiple roosters, it’s best to wait until 12 – 16 weeks, in case the roosters get hormonal
- If you have hens that are big bullies, it’s best to wait until 12 – 16 weeks
- Make sure you have multiple feed and water stations so you can be sure the chicks are able to eat and drink
More Reading:
How to introduce new chickens to an existing flock
What temperatures are safe for chicks?
Maat van Uitert is a backyard chicken and sustainable living expert. She is also the author of Chickens: Naturally Raising A Sustainable Flock, which was a best seller in it’s Amazon category. Maat has been featured on NBC, CBS, AOL Finance, Community Chickens, the Huffington Post, Chickens magazine, Backyard Poultry, and Countryside Magazine. She lives on her farm in Southeast Missouri with her husband, two children, and about a million chickens and ducks. You can follow Maat on Facebook here and Instagram here.
