Introducing young pullets to a few older Hens

[elandry4]

I have three 2.5 year old hens in a pen with a coop. We got chicks on May 11th. I have them in a wire dog crate in my garage at night and started putting them in a larger wire dog crate with water and food in the pen area with the older ones for the last week or so. We are going away in a couple weeks and really need them to live together before we go. What should be our next step?

Thank you for any advice.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Need to clarify, in case this is a typo - 2.5 year old hens? Or 2.5 month old pullets?

 

[elandry4]

Oops!! 2.5 year old hens

 

[rosemarythyme]

Had to clarify because adding young birds to adults is different than young birds to young birds.

You're right up against them being almost to old to do this, so I'd get on it right away - but you want them to have access to both the adult areas and safe areas that only they can get into by providing openings only big enough for the chicks to fit into This way they can interact with the hens but still have a place to dart to for safety, so for example a piece of cardboard strapped across the crate opening with a couple chick sized holes cut at ground level, or a pallet raised on bricks so the chicks can slip underneath if chased. Personally I herd the chicks through the openings a few times, then supervise the interaction a bit before I leave them to it.