chicks and chickens avoiding each other but not fighting

[crusting]

I have two 2-year old hens and two 7-week old chicks (one may be a rooster, but that is another story) that I'm trying to integrate. The chicks have been in their own smaller cage inside the main run for the last 3 weeks. This morning I left the small cage open with an opening small enough that the chicks could go in and out but the older hens could not. What I'm seeing is the two groups completely staying away from each other. At least there isn't much pecking going on. The younger ones are staying in the small cage whenever the older ones are in the run. When the older ones go in the run, the younger ones venture out, but run back in the cage as soon as the older ones come out. The younger ones never go into the coop except at night when I put them in there at dark. When they're in the coop at night the younger ones have been sleeping huddled together on the floor while the older ones are on the perch. They tried going on the perch about a week ago and got pecked by one of the older ones, so I think they learned to stay off.

Is this normal? Should I be doing more to encourage them being together, or just wait and see if they start hanging out together. Will they hang out together eventually if I don't do anything to encourage it? Will the younger ones ever be allowed to sleep on the perch?

 

[SteveBaz]

Very normal. They just need to build up the courage. Your doing good!