? About adding new chickens

[Franklinridgefarms]

We have 12 mostly New Hampshire and Barred Rock pullets that are around 15 weeks old, and 17 Black Australorps and Orpingtons that are around 8 weeks old. In the past I have had mostly White Leghorns and from time to time added younger ones in with year old or so others with not much problems, but they were probably older than these young birds are now. I am wondering if with the bigger pullets still being fairly young if I could go ahead and introduce the 8 week old birds with them or should wait a couple more weeks?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I have no idea how big your facilities are or how you manage your chickens, fee range or locked in coops and runs. I don't know what integration techniques you will use or what you have done so far. Even if I knew all that I would not be able to give you definite answers.

My suggestion is to try it when you can observe and see how it goes. They will answer your question for you much better than I can. I personally don't see a lot of difference waiting two weeks will make unless you somehow use that time in your integration technique.

 

[Franklinridgefarms]

I have no idea how big your facilities are or how you manage your chickens, fee range or locked in coops and runs. I don't know what integration techniques you will use or what you have done so far. Even if I knew all that I would not be able to give you definite answers.

My suggestion is to try it when you can observe and see how it goes. They will answer your question for you much better than I can. I personally don't see a lot of difference waiting two weeks will make unless you somehow use that time in your integration technique.

Thanks for your response, I agree I will do it at a point that I can watch them fairly close. In the past I have done it with the same breeds and older new additions with very little problems. We have had similar numbers in the area in the past. It is not a free range environment but a coop and an enclosed run. I guess my concern was that this time around even if the older chickens are still fairly young they are larger breeds than before and the size difference seems more noticeable. My usual method of introduction is to take the young birds out at dark and place them on the roost with the other chickens and then go out early and open the coop the next morning. I also space a couple waterers around as well as feeders so they have enough space to eat and drink.