Integrating new flock with existing

[HannahsHobbyFarm]

I have 14 hens that are about 3 years old.
Breeds: White leghorns, Americaunas, Barred Rocks & Silver Laced Wyandottes

They have a 5x8 coop within a 16x30 run but they all free range on our 5 acres every day.

The new flock is currently 4 weeks old and they are set up with a brooder/run within the existing run area.
New flock breeds: Americaunas, Rhode Island Reds, Easter Eggers, Silkies & Bantams

The existing flick doesn’t show much interest in the 20 babies and so I’m confident they are getting used to the idea.
( not all 20 are staying, my mother is taking 5 and we don’t keep any roosters)

My question is- what age can I integrate?
Can I start as soon as they are off heat?

From what I read, the best way is to free range them together one day but that feels risky to me because the new flock has never been in the coop area (just the run area) so how will they know where to go if just let out?

Any tips would help. Thanks!

 

[Theorrin]

at minimum 6 weeks though i like to go longer. can the little ones easily get to their coop if by some chance they get picked on?

 

[CluckyandPeepsFlock]

We started integrating our new flock with our current one by barring them from the others from the age of 4-6 weeks.
Then we let them out with the others. There was some pecking, but that is normal considering they are establishing their new pecking order.
2 weeks later they are all getting along very well and all know their place!

 

[HannahsHobbyFarm]

at minimum 6 weeks though i like to go longer. can the little ones easily get to their coop if by some chance they get picked on?

Yes, I plan to leave their temporary run available to them for awhile

 

[Theorrin]

Yes, I plan to leave their temporary run available to them for awhile

i would leave it open while you let everyone roam together. if they have been able to socialize through the barrier then the pecking shouldn't be too bad unless you just have a cranky butthead. they will still peck them mind you but they won't try to kill them

 

[aart]

That coop is not large enough for the existing flock, let alone for adding more.
It's going to make integration very difficult.

I have my coop set up to integrate chicks at about 4 weeks old.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

 

[Ridgerunner]

My question is- what age can I integrate?
Can I start as soon as they are off heat?

I start the first day out of the incubator or from the post office. My brooder is in the coop so the chicks essentially grow up with the flock. I don't free range as the area outside is fenced in but I have over 3,000 square feet available for the chickens. When they are five weeks old I open the brooder door and walk away. That is my integration.

You haven't done it that way so it will take you longer. During the day my chicks avoid the adults, it doesn't take them long to figure out they will get pecked if they invade their personal space.

Since my brooder is in the coop they automatically return to the coop when it gets dark. I'm not sure where your chicks have been sleeping so I don't know whether they will return there at night or not. I don't know where you plan for your chicks to sleep. There is no way I'd try to get another chicken of any age to sleep in that 5 x 8 coop unless you are talking about meters instead of feet. Since yours free range during the day and you are basically using that coop to sleep and lay, you can get away with less than the magic numbers for coop space you read on here. But there are limits and you are at them.

The way I'd do yours, I'd wait until they know where to go to sleep at night and turn them lose. Of course observe them the first couple of days. They should quickly learn to avoid the adults and the adults should leave them alone as long as they are not bothering them.