Old hens, new pullets, and new coop...

[Fenderville]

Ok.. I love this site.. I read WAY more than I post but I learn more that way.

I have a question..

I currently have 2 RIR, 2 BO and a BR that live in an older 5x5 coop..

This year I am building a new 10x10 coop with all the fixins.. (pics to later)

Chickens freerange on 12+ acres..

I also plan on adding about 10 new chicks this year and maybe a rooster..

What is the right way to add the new to the old in the new? LOL..

1. Should I wait till the pullets are about 8 weeks and add all to the new coop at once?

2. Should I go ahead and add the older hens to the new coop and sperate the pullets when they are ready to go out?

or...

Please let me know if you need more info...

Thank for all the info and help!

 

[BarredBuff]

Quote:
Here what you should do I would go ahead and put the old hens in the 10 by 10 then house your new chicks in the 5 by 5 after they have left the brooder and keep em in there until they are 18 weeks old and then merge them together.

 

[Happy Chooks]

This is what I'm going to do. I'm building a new coop this year and I'm sectioning off a corner area and will cover it with wire. So it will be a coop within a coop type thing. So the babies when feathered out will go into the sectioned off area. The adults will be able to see them and get used to them being in the coop through the wire, but without the babies getting hurt. Then when the babies are old enough (14 weeks or so), I'll open up the area and let them in with the grown ups.

 

[Fenderville]

Ok.. so most important is to keep them seperated.. but able to see each other.

 

[jeaucamom]

We merged LOTS of groups of chickens all successfully. We always did it from the time we brought the new ones home, as early as possible. The younger the better. The hens seem to have a maternal instinct. Just let your old hens have al l the room they normally have and stick a dog crate or whatever you are going to brood the news ones in right in the middle of where the old ones are. By the time you let the little ones out of the brooder at 6 or so weeks of age, there will be NO problems.