Integrate two separate hatchdates?

[bauerdog]

I am gifting my nieces with pullets next week. My question is: I have a February 9th hatch that yielded just 2 pullets. And I have the Easter HAL that yielded 8 pullets. The two flocks have never met without a fence. Do you think that just adding the two older pullets into the Easter HAL flock in a completely different environment (my sister's new coop) would work? Or should I just leave the older two pullets out of the mix? They have never owned chickens before. So I can't count on them to report excessive bullying....

 

[aart]

Hmmmmm......
......could work with an environment brand new to both groups.
....could be a disaster for new chicken keepers.

Might depend on the new coop and run setup...size, diversions, 'hiding' places, etc.
Might depend on how far away you are to help 'observe and manage'...and maybe remove older bullies if necessary.

Would indeed be much simpler to not include the 2 older ones.....
.....there's enough for newbies to learn without that potential problem thrown into the mix.

That probably doesn't help much, huh?
Best of cLuck!

 

[write2caroline]

I hope you are more successful. Chicks raised together seem to stay together and when they are from different batches they may live together but none of mine have ever integrated. They are cliche like a bunch of high school girls. They only want to hang around their friends and not really hang out with anyone new.
Caroline

 

[bauerdog]

You guys just confirmed my suspicions. I can't rely on them to know what is normal behavior. Just asking for trouble....