Another introduction question...

[truebluexf]

Will it be hard to introduce our new chicks, who are currently 3 weeks old, to our older chicks, whom we've had for 2 weeks, and are 7 or 8 weeks old? Obviously it will be a few more weeks til they join them in the coop, etc. I see a lot about introducing new chicks to an older flock, but how might this go? The 3 we have definitely have a leader already (our little Black Marans is totally in charge of the Lavender Orps, lol!)

 

[birdicus7]

You can make it much easier if you keep them in separate pens next to each other so they can get acquainted before you put them in together. You can keep costs down by letting them share a common wire wall. They should also be of the same relative size as your others before you integrate them. No matter what you do there will be some fighting until the pecking order gets re-established. Good luck!

 

[SIMPleChick]

It was actually really weird...I had all ages of chicks in the brooder, last week we finally put the oldest ones in the coop which we just finally finished....I put 3 more chicks out this week and it's like they never saw each other before! They had to do the whole pecking order, who the heck are you thing again! So weird! But they are just fine, just took a day for them all to relax...