How to Keep New Chicks in Coop when the Older Hens need Access?

[KerryP]

Hey everyone,

I've done a lot of reading on incorporating 8+ week old chicks into an existing flock, however there seems to be one main issue I cannot find an answer for. I have a coop with an attached run. The main door into the structure remains open during the day so that the laying hens can go in and out of the hen hose to lay their eggs (they free-range all day long). It's common advice to lock new chicks in the coop for at least one week so they know where "home" is. However, if I lock them in there, then the laying hens won't have access during the day. How can I handle this. Photos of coop are below.

 

[mysouthernbelle]

It should be ok I to not lock them up I put mine in for the night when they were 7 weeks and let them out the next day free range and they followed everyone back in just fine I never had to Lock them my 2 sets of chicks up they kinda just go where the others go just an idea