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[Redgateroost]

have two 4 week olds and two 5 week olds that are together. This weekend I put them all in a smaller coop by themselves inside the run that my four 12 week olds are in. The older girls go up to the little coop and have pecked at them a couple of times thru the wire. But mostly they just go about their business. Whenshould I be able to let the little onesout with the big girls and go into the same coop at night?

 

[chickens really]

have two 4 week olds and two 5 week olds that are together. This weekend I put them all in a smaller coop by themselves inside the run that my four 12 week olds are in. The older girls go up to the little coop and have pecked at them a couple of times thru the wire. But mostly they just go about their business. Whenshould I be able to let the little onesout with the big girls and go into the same coop at night?

Easy way is to free range and see how they interact..

 

[aart]

Not sure it will work as the sizes of the birds are close in age and maybe size,
but putting an opening in the littles run that only they can get in and out of might work.

I use that technique to integrate chicks into the flock.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

@blackdog043 has an excellent pic of using cardboard to make the openings.

 

[Redgateroost]

Thank you

Not sure it will work as the sizes of the birds are close in age and maybe size,
but putting an opening in the littles run that only they can get in and out of might work.

I use that technique to integrate chicks into the flock.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

@blackdog043 has an excellent pic of using cardboard to make the openings.

 

[blackdog043]

Here's the brooder panic doors out of cardboard.

 

[blackdog043]

Another pic