Adding older hens to younger flock

[Southern Ground]

I didn't want to hijack the other thread, but aside from the standard practices with integrating new birds to a flock are there any special considerations when adding three older pullets/hens (14 weeks) to a flock of five 7-8 week old birds? Would it perhaps be easier? Thinking that the newcomers will be bigger and can fend for themselves despite the strange surroundings and the established chicks will think to not mess with the bigger new arrivals?

Cheers

SG

 

[jtbrown]

I would really watch them closely at first. I probably hover a bit more than needed when I first integrate. I have made my coop to have several ways to section off certain areas (by fall it will be all open and everyone will be integrated and free ranging). Also, most times integrations go really much better than I expect.

I have found that putting the large hens in my grow out pen (I do it regularly with broody hens that way it doesn't matter if they are hogging up the laying boxes in that side of my coop) works well. They do not take anything off the little birds. Also, anything to add numbers to the new ones so that when (and if) they are integrated into a large flock it spreads out the attention.

Hope that helps, good luck.

 

[Den in Penn]

The 14 week olds will be much larger than the 7-8 week olds. They can intimidate just by that. I think if you can, housing them next to each other while the size difference goes away would be better.