Help with introducing new chickens

[sweetfamily83]

I am new to raising chickens. I bought 8 chicks from the feed store about a week ago. We are keeping them in the laundry room while we get the coop built.Our coop will be complete by this weekend. My grandmother called and is giving us 6 full grown laying hens. What is the best way to introduce the grown hens to their new home and the best way to add the chicks to the flock?

 

[chickens really]

It really depends on the age of your two flocks...If they are still peeping the older hens will be hard on them...I would separate them in a look, no touch situation till the Chicks are a bit older....I myself introduce them without really being so involved...A Period of time they should be totally separate to watch for disease and health risks...Not many people do it properly though so it has its down falls...
Chickens carry many diseases that only show up under times of stress...You might be exposing your Chicks to a potential risk?

 

[sweetfamily83]

Thank you. I will keep them separate for a month for sure. That's what I have read online. Do you think I should I wait until the chicks are full grown before I integrate them into the flock?

 

[chickens really]

No, not full grown....Wait till the peeps stop..Or just do it after the time to separate is over.I honestly never wait..I put them together and see what happens...They are Chickens and figure it out soon..Lots of bickering but if no blood is shed it usually means they will be fine...

 

[aart]

How big is your coop...in feet by feet?

I integrated the new chicks into the flock at 4 weeks old this year, was the easiest integration ever.
Had them in the coop at 1 week old, separated from the main flock by a wire wall.
My coop is 6 x 16, the wire wall separates off 4 feet of that for the chicks, and there's a separate run for them too.
The main run is 8 x 50, the smaller run is 8x12.
When the chicks were 4 weeks old I opened the 3 tiny doors in that wall and the chicks went in and out those doors and mingled with the adult birds.
There was some pecking and chasing but no real problems at all, chicks were too fast to catch and the adults can't get thru the tiny doors.
The chicks had their own food and water and couldn't reach the adult feed/water anyway.
At 6 weeks I took the wall down completely, integration complete.