chicken introduction

[paperrooster]

I have 6 - 2 year old chickens with great personality. I would like to get a few more. When is a good time to introduce the new babies to the older gals? The older group is mixed with Black Lace and Rhode Islands. They get along will with 2 ducks about their age. The reason I am asking is because I have many non-chicken owners, at feed stores, saying you cannot put different ages together.

 

[easttxchick]

It can be done, but I waited until my younger birds were about 3 1/2 months old(old enough to not get beat up) and I used a very slow, painstaking integration process. The younger birds were in a chicken tractor inside my run for about 1 1/2 months(where the older birds could see them but not get to them) and then introduced under close supervision for short periods of time until I finally cooped them all up together.

 

[Gonzo]

I totally agree with easttxchick. Main thing is getting them to the same size, ans socializing them. It can be done.

 

[felidaet]

I currently have a flock of 15 pullets that are almost 1 year old. I am adding a second flock of 25 this year. They will eventually share the same run. I am going to setup the second coop on the opposite side of the run from the existing coop. I am then going to divide the run in half with poultry wire. (The outside of the run is well setup with hardware cloth for the bottom 3 feet.). They will see each all of the time but will be separated. I guess they could peck at each other through the wire. I will leave it this way until the new chicks are 16 - 18 weeks. I will remove the wire on a Saturday morning when I can keep an eye on them all day for a couple of days.