Plan needed for integrating grown rooster and new chicks with older hens

[Lilion]

This is a little complex, but I'll try to make sense.

I had 7 hens, 3 about age 2 1/2 and 4 about a year younger. This Thanksgiving, sadly, something got in the run and killed two of my older hens and one of the young ones. The survivors are doing well and get along. I plan on getting 4 chicks in the spring. I have a broody pen off the coop and I planned on starting the chicks there when old enough, as there's a pop door in between and the chicks could have it as a safe space, and the two groups could see and get used to each other.

Our neighbor has her chickens right across the property line from ours. Like literally the runs are 20' apart and the chickens can see each other when outside (neither of us free range due to predators in the area). She has too many roosters and her kids are attached, so she doesn't want to cull any. She's asked if I'd take her young Buff Orpington roo, who's a big pretty boy, and I said yes, but I want to wait until spring. 4 hens to 1 roo isn't a very good ratio in my experience. My thought had been, keep him in the broody pen for a bit, then let him mix with the ladies once they're used to him. I mean, they see him every day, but have never been in the same pen, so I figured some integration time was necessary.

Anyone see any issues with my plan to get the groups/roo integrated? Should I get the roo first and let him and my ladies become a flock before the chicks? Or, should I get chicks first, and make a flock of 8 before the roo moves in?

Thanks in advance for your chicken wisdom!

 

[Mrs. K]

Really with you and the neighbor being so close, you could consider that one flock, in different pens. As you get along well, I would ask her to let you have 2 hens + Rooster, until spring. That way you can add him right now. The thing is, chicks really don't make much difference in the flock until they are ready to lay.

I would expect a bit of a dust up, some chest bumping, maybe a stray feather, and life to go on.

Then come the spring, get chicks together. And at that time she could have the old girls back, or split the chicks, or ...really with a chicken friend like that the possibilities are endless.

I have some chicken friends and it does help out

 

[Lilion]

Really with you and the neighbor being so close, you could consider that one flock, in different pens. As you get along well, I would ask her to let you have 2 hens + Rooster, until spring. That way you can add him right now.

Interesting thought... she's tried to give me a few before, but I wasn't interested because I already had 7 and was getting like 5 eggs a day and didn't want more. She had more turn out to be roos than she expected. I'm not sure how many hens she has now.