Integrating Two flocks Older Chickens

[7L Farm]

Haven't posted in a long time! I have two flocks of chickens that live in two different coops. There off springs of each other & free range together. But live in different coops. One coop has 6 hens. The other coop has 9 hens & one roo. I'm putting them together in one coop. I need the other coop for some chicks I'm hatching.
I put them together yesterday evening. I know I need to leave them locked up for awhile before free ranging. Just wondering if they will all go back to there new home when I do let them out?

 

[7L Farm]

No one knows. Guess, I'll figure it out. I just don't wanna be chasing chickens all night. Putting them back in the coop one by one.

 

[Den in Penn]

Limit the area that they can access outside for a few more days after you leave them out. At least you won't have to chase them all over the place if they haven't yet accepted the new coop.

 

[7L Farm]

How would I do that ? I live on a farm. They seem to be getting along.They were always free ranging together anyway.So they knew each other. Just thinking the flock will be sitting at the door of there old coop. They lived there since birth.
I was hoping someone on this site might have some experience with this situation.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I suggest you move them to the new coop after dark. Then the next morning make sure you open it up about the time they wake up the next morning so they can run away if there are any problems.

I do this all the time with 12 week olds. They are raised in a brooder in the coop until about 5 weeks, spend the next three weeks in a grow-out coop and pen next to the adults, then roam with the adults from 8 weeks on during the day but sleep in that grow-out coop at night.

The entrance to the grow-out coop is in a run so I shut the pop door during the day. They gather outside that pop door at night and are easy to catch after dark. I just toss them in the main coop and shut the door. I don’t put them on the roost or anything like that, just toss them on the floor. Leave the pop door to the other coop closed day and night. Don’t let them back in there. Most make the move to the main coop the first time but occasionally I have to put some in there a couple of times.

I don’t know how big your main coop is or how it is set up. Hopefully it is big enough with enough roosts they can manage, but I’d still open that pop door pretty early the first day or two until I was comfortable how they were getting along. I’ve never really had a problem with that with my 12 week olds but they are living animals. No one can give you a guarantee.

 

[centrarchid]

Keep both flocks confined together in location they are to use as you have in mind. Keep them in for at least 5 days. During that time make so coop that housed relocated group is not accessible in the evening. I have even had luck simply changing orientation of opening causing birds to apparently not recognize coop. I do what you are doing fairly frequently during production season. Rooster somehow helps process along.

 

[7L Farm]

Outcome was good. Left them locked together for 5 days. Then let them out. Had some go to their old coop but just picked them up & took them to their new coop. Now, they know where to go. It was a smooth venture, Thanks all

 

[Cuccismith]

ok read all the last posts trying to do something similar... I have 6 3mo olds who are a great flock, I introduced 2 full grown hens about a month ago and kept them separate by chicken wire and 2 different coops. I have now removed the wire and am letting a pecking order establish... but keep them separate at night so no injuries. They free range during the day and do not hang out together as the babies are afraid of the big girls. I also keep them in the run for hours at a time hoping they will merge. The older ones are being kinder but every time they approach the young flock they run away. The evenings are still really cold so I don't let the big hens in the babies coop as the babies won't enter and they would die outside. Any ideas? I want them all in the same coop obviously and hanging together...
Sorry so long... : )

 

[donrae]

ok read all the last posts trying to do something similar... I have 6 3mo olds who are a great flock, I introduced 2 full grown hens about a month ago and kept them separate by chicken wire and 2 different coops. I have now removed the wire and am letting a pecking order establish... but keep them separate at night so no injuries. They free range during the day and do not hang out together as the babies are afraid of the big girls. I also keep them in the run for hours at a time hoping they will merge. The older ones are being kinder but every time they approach the young flock they run away. The evenings are still really cold so I don't let the big hens in the babies coop as the babies won't enter and they would die outside. Any ideas? I want them all in the same coop obviously and hanging together...
Sorry so long... : )

If you really want them all sleeping in the same area, you'll probably have to go out after they roost and put the littles in with the larger hens. Once they're in, if it's late enough, everyone will just go to sleep. There's much less chance of a bird injuring another bird at night, they're too busy sleeping to fight.

 

[Cuccismith]

Thanks... I think I will try and then get up 5:30 and let them out... will they learn to like eachother then?