Chicks arriving soon...how to integrate?

[kristadiane]

We currently have 5 free-range egg-layers (that are just so cute and fun!) that will be one-year-old in June living in the coop. We have nine chicks coming in May (5 Cornish Rock X, and 4 Wynadottes). The chicks will be in the basement until they are fully feathered, but then I need to move them outside. My DH, bless his heart, is not very handy, so it took all he could muster to build one coop and I am quite sure that he will NOT build anything else

! So, I guess my question is how to integrate these new chicks with the older girls without anyone getting hurt. Others have told me to wait until they are the same size, but that is just not going to be possible. Since they will be in the same coop, what do I feed them all, as well? Mostly, they will get what they need from free-ranging, but I do provide food, too. Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

 

[teach1rusl]

How large is your coop first off? Is it big enough for 14 chickens? If your chickens are outside most of the time, hopefully picking on the younger ones won't become a big issue, because ideally they would be somewhat similarly sized. But at least the youngers will outnumber the largers. Do make sure you have plenty of roost space.
Layer feed is not good for chicks, so I don't know HOW you'll do the feed. If your hens are getting everything they need from freeranging, and have oyster shell available, then I guess you could feed the flock raiser??? I'm not sure on that though, as I only use the layer feed.

 

[CanadianCrower]

I am soon going to face this same problem. My older chickens were a year on Tuesday (13 hens and a rooster) But we will be adding on to the coop - soonish. I also wonder about feed and the little ones being picked on, so I'll be watching for answers too.

 

[Montana-Hens]

I think that this is a problem many of us are going to face. I took my 3 new girls out in a dog crate and set outside where my 2 year olds could see them. Only one was interested/got her hackles up and pecked. the other was ho hum. Lets hope this keeps up and when I let them go together it will be no big deal for either set of the girls.

 

[kristadiane]

Yes, the coop is big enough for all the girls. We did that deliberately in case we wanted to get more. Please.....any more suggestions? I need ideas!