Adding an Older Hen to Flock of Pullets?

[Austin_ChickenKing2020]

Would it help egg laying production with my teenager chickens (12-17 weeks) to add an older 4 year old hen in the mix? My neighbor who also raised chickens stayed having an older hen will help flock dynamics and improve egg production. She explained it as having an mentor almost to the young chicks. She has a cousin who has 37 chickens free ranging on acreage and she said she has a nice 4 year old hen that I could adopt. Thoughts?

 

[aart]

I'd pass.
Keep your fresh new flock clean and healthy...
...they will learn where to lay on their own(fake eggs in nests will help).
Adding an older single bird would cause more problems(pests/disease) than it might 'solve'.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Older birds can teach younger ones "how to chicken," but bringing in a new bird means having to deal with 1) integration, 2) quarantine, 3) plus since this is a new set up for the older bird, she's going to have to figure things out alongside the younger birds as well.