How to introduce new chicks

[Whitney13]

I just ordered some Sumatra chicks but I already have two Ameraucana hens and I was wondering how I should go about introducing them. My hens have never been around baby chicks before and I don't want them to kill my new babies. They all have to live in my chicken house(20' X 20' with 12' ceilings) until I can get rid of the hawk that nests over the chicken house. When the chicks get older how should I introduce them? I have a rabbit cage that I could move the chicks in, when they get old enough to get out of the brooder, until the hens get used to the new arrivals being around or should I just put them together and let them figure out a pecking order? I have raised chickens all my life but I have never introduced new chickens into my flock, all the babies where born and raised with the rest of the chickens until now.
Thanks,
Whitney

 

[Mahonri]

Keep them separated but next to each other until they are at least 16 weeks old. Then introduce them one night by placing them on the roost next to the big girls. Do it on a Friday or Saturday so that you can be there to watch and supervise when they wake up in the morning. There will be some small tiffs for sake of the pecking order and then they should be fine.

 

[debilorrah]

See my BYC page