4 month old chicks being introduced to older chickens 5yrs

[Britsladies041989]

What would be the best way to get our 4month old chickens introduced to grown chickens (they are about 5yrs old). Will they ever get along?

 

[Lamaremybabies]

What would be the best way to get our 4month old chickens introduced to grown chickens (they are about 5yrs old). Will they ever get along?

I highly recommend the "play-pen method", you take your younger chickens, put them in a temporary run next to the elders, and after roughly a week you let them all out together (supervised). This method has worked 100% of the time for me. You will see some pecking and chasing for the first few days while the older hens are showing that they are in charge but nobody should be getting injured.

Hope this was helpful!

 

[azygous]

The best way is to let the two groups get acquainted through a mesh barrier (chicken wire). They will size up one another over several days just as as school kids do when a new group comes in. They will be judging for temperament and rank, and that will give them a head start to fitting into the existing social order when you let them mingle.

Younger birds will almost always be intimidated by older ones. Your older ones are at an age where they are confident in their rank so they may not even bat an eye over the newbies. Usually the trouble occurs with groups not too far apart in age.

Watch the interaction once you put them together. If the older birds prevent the younger ones from getting to the feeder and water, you may need to put up more stations. I find it helpful to have food and water up on a table for the younger ones. They will usually find that haven above the older birds a welcome retreat.

You may let the younger ones use the coop from the beginning however. I would move them in early enough in the day, after the older girls are finished laying, to give them time to become comfortable in their new sleeping quarters, then let the older birds in just before dark.

 

[aart]

More tips:
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.


This used to be a better search, new format has reduced it's efficacy, but still:
Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, BUT some info is outdated IMO:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock