Introducing young chicks to older chicks?

[clshea]

I have 6 11-week old chicks, and 10 4-week old chicks. The 11 week old chicks have been living in their coop outdoors for over a month now, and are just starting to free range in my yard. The younger chicks, I have been putting outside (in a wire dog crate) daily for about a week, and still bringing them inside at night. The older chicks don't really seem to care about the younger ones too much, except if they are close by and a young chick sticks it's head through the bars, they will try to peck it.

What's the best way to integrate the 2 groups of chicks safely so they can be together in the coop? How old should the younger chicks be to be able to fend for themselves against the older chicks?

I was thinking of putting the young chicks inside a dog crate, inside of the coop, at night? I would have to take them out by hand daily and put them in a small chicken tractor for the day, since there is no way to keep them separate in the attached run on the coop....

 

[PorterPack]

I'm interested in hearing advice, too. I also have two small groups of girls. My oldest group is about 10 weeks old (only 4 pullets), and my younger ones are almost 6 weeks old (only 2 chicks). The older girls have been in their coop/run for about a month, but NY younger ones are still inside the house in a brooder. I'm ready for them to move out with the big girls, but I'm nervous about it lol. Hopefully someone with more experience can chime in....