First integration question

[daxigait]

Hi I wanted to ask if I have made a mistake, or what to watch for that might be signs I have.
I placed my two 13 week old lavender Orpington in with my 25 week old RIR tonight at dark putting them on the roost. Are they old enough? I read that putting them in like that helped.

 

[daxigait]

There are nine RIR pullets and an eight month old roo. I will have the new larger coop and run done be next week.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'm not a fan of the night thing, chickens know who belongs and who doesn't, yours are at a tricky age for integration, penning next to each other for a while is the best way to go, your two might be ganged up on in the morning, I would make a separation pen for them and supervise interaction for a while, penning them up when you can't be there.

 

[daxigait]

I can put them in a cage in the tractor in the morning. The one jumped up onto the nesting boxes with a group of the pullets (no layers yet), and they just let her join them. The other huddled away. I hoped they would stay together to have each other. It was odd.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Perhaps you will get lucky, there's a usual way that chickens act, than there's a what they actually do, follow your gut, and do what feels right, good luck.

 

[daxigait]

@[@]aart[/@]what do you think?