existing chickens, new chickens...and a new coop

[chickensNY]

I have read a lot about introducing new chickens to an existing flock & moving chickens to a new coop. However my timing isn't great (or maybe it is) and I have a new coop/run (existing flock is still in the old coop) along with an existing flock and 4 new chicks. Please help...do I...?
(A) Move the big girls into the new coop now & introduce the new ones in the new coop when they are ready to be moved outside?
(B) Leave the existing chickens where they are for now, move the new chick to the new coop when the time comes & then when they are used to it move the big girls in?
(C) Move the big girls into the new coop, the new ones into the old coop and then move the new girls into the new coop once they are used to living outside?
Any advice is very much appreciated!!! Thanks!

 

[azygous]

One detail you need to clarify - do you plan on keeping the old coop or will you tear it down?

I have two coops that share a common run and it works splendidly for adding new chicks and over the long haul giving picked on chickens the option of where they choose to sleep.

 

[chickensNY]

I was planning on keeping it (for now) in case I need to separate any. But for the most part I want them all in the new coop.

 

[azygous]

Moving chickens into new quarters is stressful. You must have a very compelling reason for uprooting them because they're going to hate it.

Here's how I work it with new chicks. Right before I plan on moving in new chicks into a coop, I evict the ones living in it, shutting the coop and forcing them to go roost in the other coop. Once they are into the new habit of roosting in the other coop and have stopped flipping out over the change (it takes around three days), then I move the new chicks into the vacated coop.

Over time, one of the new chickens may decide to go live in the other coop with the older chickens, and occasionally, a picked on chicken may decide to go live in the coop with the younger ones. Chickens hate change but love options.

Does that help or do you need more detailed info on how to actually introduce the new chicks to the flock and their new coop?