Need help w/ Introduction of New to Old...

[paulandashia]

Well, not THAT old.... LoL

Yesterday we finally finished with the coop.
I put my 2 new Black Copper Marans (Hen and Roo about a year of age) into the pen and coop yesterday, and today I tried to put my 6 & 7 week old Pullets in.
The moment I put the babies down, the Marans got curious, walked up to them, started making these weird noises, fluffing up, and pecking at them, and it didn't look like it was in a good way.
I am NOT a chicken expert so I don't know if this is normal or not. This is my first experience with chickens, so I need advice, or reassurance...

I am worried they might hurt/kill them, so I put an old parrot cage in there for the babies so the Marans can see them, but not be able to hurt them.
The babies are in there now, but I can't keep them confined in there for longer than a day or two though, as there is just not enough room.
I'm hoping I can leave them in there a day or two, and they will get used to them.
I'm just worried.

Any help would be appreciated....

 

[Wiglwerm]

I kept my new babies in a brooder inside the main coop and when they graduated from that I put them inside a large wire dog cage inside the coop until I felt comfortable that they had been accepted by the flock. I would let the grown birds outside to free range and let the babies "free range" inside the coop to get their excersise. I also read that if you but a board leaned up against the coop that only the babies can get behind for safety, if they are being bullied, works too. As long as they have an escape area and they can't be cornered they should be fine, I would think. Good Luck. I am trying out the "leaning board techinique" myself this coming week. They have been aloud to free rangeoutside with the flock, under supervision, this last week and other than an occasional peck they all go along pretty well. OH THE PECKING ORDER!!

 

[Kittymomma]

It works much better if you wait until the youngsters are around 12 weeks old, fully featherd and almost adult size. Sometimes it works out ok when they're younger, but often it turns into a tragedy. I either pen mine next to the main flock for a week or so before trying to put them together or free range them together for a week or two. There are tons of threads on flock integration if you want to read about different things that people do so you can pick what you think will work best for your situation.