Integrating new chicks to young flock

[Calirobot]

We purchased 4 dayish-old chicks about 10 weeks ago. Two of them ended up being roosters (which we can't have), so we were able to trade them in for some new chicks (sex-linked this time!), which we brought home today. They're about 4 weeks old, inside in the brooder until they feather out more.

Because they're so close in age, and my older ones won't be laying, yet, is it still recommended for them to be sight-integrated first? Can I start doing it while they're still young? We don't really free-range, yet, so our only real option is to lug the brooder outside and put it next to the run, or section off a bit of the run with some hardware cloth. I'm also wondering if since the flock is so small and still all young, if that's even necessary, or could I just try putting them in together for little bits at a time?

 

[hysop]

You should still let them see each other for a few days or weeks so they get to know each other and then with supervision integrate them.

It doesn't matter the age, they will attack any new comers. I had a rooster I was going to cull, but my husband liked him so we decided to wait. He had been part of the flock since they hatched, but we moved him for a week to fatten him up and then cull.

Anyway, we threw him back in with his flock mates thinking they've known him since they were hatchlings and it's only been a week, they'll remember him. NOPE!

They attacked him! They were all the same age, 10-12 weeks old, I can't remember well.

So right away we separated him and we got a dog crate, placed the cockerel in there with food and water for a little under a week and then reintegrated him and they accepted him, not right away, but at least they didn't abuse him like when we just threw him in there with the others.

 

[Mrs. K]

I did this this year. Had two older hens, but a long ways from laying, and 8 chicks. Put them out there in a safety zone, and in three days, they were a flock.