Mixing Two flocks

[Nasnro]

Hi all,
I'm looking at getting a second flock of hens and a roo. I've had my existing flock for 5 years. Im looking for the second flock as a breeding flock. They will be housed on separate parts of the property.
My main question is when I let them free range during the day will they go back to their respective coops at night or will they stay clear of eachother.
Thanks in advance.

 

[NatJ]

They will probably go back to their respective coops at first, but I think they will start to mingle in the daytime after a bit, and they may eventually function as one flock and decide to all sleep together in one place (or maybe some will change sleeping places as they make new friends.)

Do you want them apart?

If you have more than one rooster, and you want to know which rooster has mated with which hen, you will need to either put up a fence, or only let one group out at a time. If you only have one rooster, he can mate with all the hens and that won't cause problems.

If you want to collect eggs for hatching from some hens and not others, then you'll need to tell them apart somehow. They might lay different colors of eggs, or you could shut up the preferred hens in their coop for enough days to collect eggs for setting--then go back to letting them out together.

 

[aart]

Hi all,
I'm looking at getting a second flock of hens and a roo. I've had my existing flock for 5 years. Im looking for the second flock as a breeding flock. They will be housed on separate parts of the property.
My main question is when I let them free range during the day will they go back to their respective coops at night or will they stay clear of eachother.
Thanks in advance.

If the new birds are properly 'homed' to the new coop they will return there.
You could range on alternate days to keep them from 'mixing'...
...especially if you have multiple males that you want to remain 'faithful'.