Two flocks into one

[3chickchicks]

I've introduced two newbies to my established flock of 3. The newbies are 10-12 weeks old (I've lost count) and were sectioned off in the run for a while. The others continued to free range.
Things are going alright. They sleep in the same coop. However, when out, the newbies have no interest in staying with the original flock. I'm only on integration day 2 so I'm not expecting them to be best buds by now. I'm just wondering about it and thought I'd post because things were different the last time I integrated new birds.
The last time I integrated new birds, from day one the newbies stayed with the flock but kept their distance for a few weeks. I think those were 15 weeks when I integrated them. The other difference was that they escaped the little enclosure I made for them in the run the first day they were out and introduced themselves at night.
The recent new ones stayed in an enclosure inside the run for nearly two weeks. They have no interest in following the flock and just hang out by the coop. It's like I have two separate flocks. Perhaps it's because they're younger so they won't want to venture as far away from the coop. Or perhaps because the others free ranged while they were locked in the run?

Just wondered if anyone with a similar situation got their birds to form into one flock and how long it took for them to do so.

 

[Judy]

It's pretty common for them to act like two different focks for some time, even several months, to one degree or another. I'd just be glad no one is being harmed, and let them work it out themselves. I had two groups do their foraging separately for over ayear once, then they finally became one group. A single bird raised alone slept away from the flock for several month, too, then finally moved onto the group roost.