How to introduce new chickens to current flock with rooster

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C Siena said:
Greetings & Salutations. Welcome Adrienne.

Do you another coop for the older Welsummer flock? Or is the run also a coop? As they have been close for 5 weeks, See no touch, have you noticed any aggression?

This is a wonderful site on which to Learn and enjoy. We are pleased to have you in the community.
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The older ones have a coop inside the run where they sleep at night. (automatic door). The younger ones have just roosts inside where they currently sleep on. I have not noticed any aggression, so far they seem to get along well.
 
florida-chicken said:
The older ones have a coop inside the run where they sleep at night. (automatic door). The younger ones have just roosts inside where they currently sleep on. I have not noticed any aggression, so far they seem to get along well.
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Then as @DobieLover wrote,
DobieLover said:
As long as you have enough space and enough clutter in their space you can start letting the younger flock intermingle with the original flock.
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Clutter such as: logs, chairs, pallets/wood on a slant etc. Things the younger ones can run under, dodge around, etc. I would also have more food and water stations, probably a couple out of sight from the other stations.

As both of your flocks free range, they are used to returning to their coop.

I allowed our youngest ones (6-7 wks) to free range with the others the first eve about an hour+ before dusk. The next eve I let them out for 2.5 hrs together and the 3rd night I did close to 4 hrs. I was watching them most of the time for the 3rd night but went inside for food to cook on the grill, so I could be outside listening. From then on, everyone was out together. Only slight pecking from the older pullets and hens around food and at roost. Nothing more than them letting the younger ones know, this is "my food first" or "my space".
 
Hello! Welcome to BYC! DobieLover & C Siena pretty well have it covered on integration tactics. Imo the see no touch works great! I introduced 6 pullets a couple of months ago that had been in our holding pen inside our covered run and I have to say that was the most drama free intro ever here! Barely a peck! I just recently introduced two Australorps and two Golden laced Wyandottes. They were in the holding pen for around a month. Not as drama free as the last but I blame that on the temperment of the GLW pullets! The Australorps integrated pretty well. Going pretty well now a couple of weeks later. Good luck with your integration! 😊
 

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