Integrating young flock

[MommaVon]

I'm new to raising chickens we have 11 almost 6 weeks old and 6 almost 4 weeks old. The still live in our barn in their coop. I've got the older on the bottom and the younger on the top. So they have essentially lived in the same area for about 3 weeks but haven't actually seen each other. I put their latter up and opened the door so they could start to see each other just covered the door with chicken wire so the older chicks couldn't get to the younger. At what point can I take the chicken wire down? We will be moving them outide here in the next few weeks and I want to move them all at once.

 

[Poultry parent]

You can take down the chicken wire. There will be some pecking, but it's just to establish dominance, so don't worry about it unless they cause a wound

 

[aart]

I think moving them all at once to a new environment would be the best thing.

It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.