adding younger chicks to a juvenile flock?

[wroblow]

I have 4 chicks that are 7.5 weeks old and 2 that are only 4 weeks. The older chicks have been outside in the coop for the last week, but I'm not sure when to introduce the smaller ones. I know a lot of the advice on here is to wait until they are at a similar size, but wouldn't that mean keeping the younger ones in the brooder until they were almost fully grown? Or will the younger ones 'catch-up' to the older ones soon?

sorry, I've only ever introduced new adult hens, so the baby/juvenile situation has me stumped and I'm not sure my boyfriend can handle having chicks inside the house much longer

 

[NCchicken]

Is there anyway to section off a portion of your coop to make it only for the 4 wk olds? So they could still see eachother and get used to eachother?

 

[wroblow]

I could separate them in the run, but I'm not sure about in the actual coop. I have a few weeks until the little ones can go outside, maybe I can figure out a way to section off part of the coop.

If I leave them for a week, separated, will that do? I would think they'd still be very different in size. My older girls are a bit brutish (maybe they're not all girls!) and i'm worried they will gang up on smaller chicks.