Introducing 6wk old Golden Buffs to old flock

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I don't personally think there's a real sweet spot for age timing but size. I've integrated into my flock a few times now and each time, it came down to size - if they were near the same size (and not continuing to peep lol), they were ready to begin integration without fear of being pecked apart. A good way to do this is the look but don't touch method of using a fence to separate them for a bit (I took about a week or two for mine) before allowing them all out to free range together or opening the fence. This way, there's more room for the younger ones to run when necessary, and it won't be on the home turf of the older ones. Mine had some fights for a bit after but they eventually were okay with it. Just make sure to supervise and separate at night again - don't send them on the roost with the big ones the first few nights. If you see any blood being split, pull out the injured/bloody one to get it cleaned up and take the bully away for a bit.
 
If you are quarantining them(Should be further apart) then two weeks or so.

If you are introducing them, try after a couple of days and they have stopped fighting through the fence
Egg shaped welcome.jpg

This would be a good thread to start in the behaviors forum

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/chicken-behaviors-and-egglaying.18/
 
Well, I've integrated as chicks. But I've noticed they start actually being a part of the flock around 5.5-6 months old. Do the see-don't-touch for as long as you think necessary (at least 1-2 weeks, but more never hurts). We don't know your birds, pecking order, or temperaments. You are the ultimate judge. But for me, I did the see-don't-touch for 2.5 weeks and then started putting them together in a little fenced in area to make sure they saw each other. I let them fight a little but if they were ever trapped or it got just too aggressive I would break it up. I never left them together unsupervised, but after putting them together for an hour or two a day like that, the fighting became less frequent and once I thought it was ok, I moved them in with the others. Luckily, we just finished a huge run so it was new territory for both groups.

Now that the chicks (they were 3 polish, about 3 months when I started integration) are 6 months old, they are actually "talking" with the others and hanging out during free range time. 2 of which are roosters, so now they are actually the highest in the pecking order. Their little sister is finally becoming friendly and social with the others, though.

But that's just my experience, so I hope you found something useful in that story. :idunno
 
Before you move them, can you feed along both sides of the fence, if they have a common fence line? Sometimes that can help.

Another trick that I think can help, is to have the birds either change places, or lock the old girls out of the run/coop, and let the young ones in the main set up. This allows the chicks to explore a new place to them, and it lets the older girls see them in this home place, without being pursued or chased.

Set up some hideouts, some extra feed bowls and set them up so that a bird eating at one station, cannot be seen from another station.

Chickens hate change, I know this sounds crazy, but another trick I do, when adding new birds, is I give a clean out, and I rearrange the hideouts, roosts, and shelters in the run. So that there is a lot of change to look at, seems to help.

Mrs K
 
 

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