Advice Needed on Introducing Chicks to Existing Flock

[gander007]

And it solved mine! I have 4 nine week old birds (3BR, 1 BO) and wanted to add 2 more to fill out my max allowance of 6. Hubby thinks I'm nuts. I am trying to do this while they are younger. I do have a dog cage that I can tuck into the run when the time comes, but I didn't want to get involved in building a separate "grow out" area at this time. Just finished 2 months of coop/run building! My biggest concern was the feed. The current hens are on developer. Timing it out, both groups would be on it together for a short while, but I know I would have to switch the older to layer feed and was concerned with the younger ones eating that. Am I correct in reading that I can leave both on the developer or finisher until the younger ones catch up?? They won't eat the oyster shells?? Wow! Also, I could put the younger ones out, protected in the run, then back into the house for a week or so, but how do you introduce them to sleeping in the coop with the others?? Thanks so much!

If you chicks are only 9 weeks old and the new chicks are with in two week of age I do not see much of a problem in putting them together ....





In the picture the young chicks we put out with adult chickens at 8 weeks of age ....