Introducing littles to the big girls?

[MyLittleRedCoop]

I have a batch of 18 chicks, all are 10 weeks old. They are out in the coop with the big girls, but I have it divided, so they can only see each other through the wire mesh. They also have their own enclosed run. They are fully feathered and very active. They've been out there for roughly 2 weeks.

Big girls are all year-old Australorps.
Littles are a straight run mixed batch - Brahmas, Dominiques, Delawares, Auracanas, a Speckled Sussex, a Marans, a Wyandotte and a Buff Orp. No bantams.

All 3 big girls have been watching them closely, both in the coop and when they are free ranging, they go over to the littles' run to check them out. This isn't all the time, just when they come into the coop and discover that the littles are still there. (Lol. It really reminds me of toddlers when you bring a new baby home!!) They typically give up and walk away, but then come back a while later.
Big Bossy Blue paces and clucks and pecks at the mesh. I've noticed two kinds of clucks from her - short, sharp "buck, buck, buck" clucks and long drawn-out "Baaawwwk, baaawwwk, baaawwwk" ones. Either way, she is the boss and cleary very unhappy to have them there.
The other two will peck the mesh (no clucking or pacing) and will occasionally puff up and screech at them "Broody style".

Just wondering how long I should keep them separated?
Do I wait until there is no aggressive/defensive behavior at all?
If it doesn't end, do I just let them out at 12-14 weeks to figure it out?

Thanks!

 

[sumi]

When introducing chicks to the flock it's better to wait until they are more or less fully grown before letting them mingle. I'd suggest leaving the young ones next to the established flock for a few more weeks, to give all them time to get used to each other and for the youngsters to grow some more, before letting them mingle. This way when the time comes the integration will also be easier for them. There will be some bullying as the flock reestablishes their pecking order, but unless blood is drawn or the bullying gets out of hand, don't intervene.

 

[2newcomers]

Thanks for this. I was just wondering the same thing. We have 4 babies who have been hatched by 2 moms and have been fully integrated with the oldies after just a couple of weeks. But we also have 3 store-bought chicks that we have in a separate "nursery" within the pen. They are about a month old. I'd wondered if I dare let them into the main pen with all the others, but I think it may be dangerous...especially with the protective moms. I'd hate to see them injured or traumatized by the others.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Jveith, you are on the right track by keeping them separated but visible at this point. I would give it a little more time, until they are bigger as sumi mentioned. I keep my chicks in their grow out pen alongside the older girls from the time they are 5 weeks old until they are 15 weeks old. Then I start letting everybody out to free range in my pasture together. I let the young birds out first and let them move off and then let the older girls out. By this time everybody has gotten used to seeing each other around and I have only the most minor of pecking order issues, a peck on the shoulder or a pulled tail here and there. Everybody settles in very quickly. I do have a mature rooster and that helps a lot, if anybody does start to get to intense he is quick to break it up and gives everyone the stink eye until they behave!