It’s time to transition pullets and I don’t know how

[Lawrence Lovestock]

Aloha all!
I have 14 layers who I’ve raised since they were baby chicks. I am very close to them and they know when I come around. I’m the only one that feeds them, releases them for free ranging and call them back to the coop.
I went crazy and now have a total of 20
more: 3 pullets that are 16 wks, 5 that are 13 weeks, 8 that just transitioned out of the brooder into a temporary makeshift coop from a repurposed 48” dog crate, and 4 chicks still in the brooder. I have these all separated. my goal is to get these all together in one coop but don’t know where to begin. I’d love for all 34 to be intermingled but I can’t imagine how that could be possible. My 14 layers are big and the few times I had the 3 older ones free ranging with them they didn’t like it!
many advice would be appreciated! Photos included for reference.

 

[RojoMarz]

What a beautiful view you have. Maybe @rosemarythyme, @aart, or @humblehillsfarm can help. I always see good sound advice from them.

 

[aart]

I went crazy and now have a total of 20
more: 3 pullets that are 16 wks, 5 that are 13 weeks, 8 that just transitioned out of the brooder into a temporary makeshift coop from a repurposed 48” dog crate, and 4 chicks still in the brooder. I have these all separated. my goal is to get these all together in one coop but don’t know where to begin.

OhBoy, you've set yourself up for some tough times.
My first thought is ....is your coop and run big enough for all those birds?
Dimensions and pics, of the main coop and run would help.

You could always sell some.
Are there any males?
How old, in weeks or months, are the oldest bunch of 14?

Can you make a place in the main coop and run to get all the youngers together?

I don't have any great advice, I've done 2 age groups of chicks, it was a pain, will never do it again.
Here's some tips about.....
Integration Basics:

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.
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[humblehillsfarm]

OhBoy, you've set yourself up for some tough times.
My first thought is ....is your coop and run big enough for all those birds?
Dimensions and pics, of the main coop and run would help.

You could always sell some.
Are there any males?
How old, in weeks or months, are the oldest bunch of 14?

Can you make a place in the main coop and run to get all the youngers together?

I don't have any great advice, I've done 2 age groups of chicks, it was a pain, will never do it again.
Here's some tips about.....
Integration Basics:

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.
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

I think @aart is far more experienced than me! Thank you for the tag though @RojoMarz.

I will share my experience though: I have twice integrated new flock members. The first time I did the integration when the new additions were around 16 weeks old. There were 7 pullets introduced to three three-year old hens and one rooster. The second time the chicks were six weeks old and introduced to the flock. At that point there were four pullets and one cockerel being introduced to 7 one-year old hens, 3 four-year old hens, one rooster, and two 7 week old broody-hatched chicks.

Both times the new additions spent time in a separate brooder coop, but within sight of the rest of the flock. The existing flock could approach the cage and investigate the new members. The first introductions, the chicks spent about 10 weeks in the brooder coop, but the second introductions the chicks only spent about three weeks in the brooder coop. Both times I moved the babies into the main coop at night. Normally my chickens free range (which I am intending on changing soon), but I had made a temporary enclosure to keep the chicks within range of the coop so I could help them go back to the correct "home" at night. It took about four nights to train them where to go to roost. Training involved catching them and putting them in. After two weeks of keeping them fenced in, I removed the fence.

As aart said, I provided plenty of hiding places, multiple feeders and waterers, and interacted with the birds daily to keep them entertained and distracted.

Here's the brooder coop (which now has hardware cloth fastened to it, but I don't have a photo of that change):

 

[Lawrence Lovestock]

OhBoy, you've set yourself up for some tough times.
My first thought is ....is your coop and run big enough for all those birds?
Dimensions and pics, of the main coop and run would help.

You could always sell some.
Are there any males?
How old, in weeks or months, are the oldest bunch of 14?

Can you make a place in the main coop and run to get all the youngers together?

I don't have any great advice, I've done 2 age groups of chicks, it was a pain, will never do it again.
Here's some tips about.....
Integration Basics:

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.
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

Thank you for the suggestions.
the 14 oldest are all layers. I got them all a year ago and did the same thing, got 3, a month later 2, a month later 4, a month later 3 & a month later 2. they are housed in a 12x20 coop. They free range majority of the day unless it’s storming outside.

 

[aart]

I got them all a year ago and did the same thing, got 3, a month later 2, a month later 4, a month later 3 & a month later 2.

Ok, well, then you've got more experience than I
Best of cLuck!

 

[Lawrence Lovestock]

I think @aart is far more experienced than me! Thank you for the tag though @RojoMarz.

I will share my experience though: I have twice integrated new flock members. The first time I did the integration when the new additions were around 16 weeks old. There were 7 pullets introduced to three three-year old hens and one rooster. The second time the chicks were six weeks old and introduced to the flock. At that point there were four pullets and one cockerel being introduced to 7 one-year old hens, 3 four-year old hens, one rooster, and two 7 week old broody-hatched chicks.

Both times the new additions spent time in a separate brooder coop, but within sight of the rest of the flock. The existing flock could approach the cage and investigate the new members. The first introductions, the chicks spent about 10 weeks in the brooder coop, but the second introductions the chicks only spent about three weeks in the brooder coop. Both times I moved the babies into the main coop at night. Normally my chickens free range (which I am intending on changing soon), but I had made a temporary enclosure to keep the chicks within range of the coop so I could help them go back to the correct "home" at night. It took about four nights to train them where to go to roost. Training involved catching them and putting them in. After two weeks of keeping them fenced in, I removed the fence.

As aart said, I provided plenty of hiding places, multiple feeders and waterers, and interacted with the birds daily to keep them entertained and distracted.

Here's the brooder coop (which now has hardware cloth fastened to it, but I don't have a photo of that change):

View attachment 2299709

Thank you!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Just saw the page @RojoMarz , I don't have an experience trying to get multiple age groups together at a time. Think all of the advice above sounds reasonable, and wish OP the best of luck in building up the flock!

 

[spicy6]

While the chicks are still ranging in size, you can build a chicken door between two coops/runs that is small enough to let the babies in and out but keep the adults out. This way the small ones can go between spaces but the adult can not. This way the small ones have a space to retreat to if they are being attacked.