Transition

[sadierae]

I have 2 cinnamon queens and a rooster. My husband is about to buy 4 new hens to add to our flock. They will be chicks and I am wondering how old they should be before they are put in the coop with the adults. I have no problem getting a starter coop if I need one to use until it’s safe to transition them into the main coop. Anyone that has transitioned new hens into an existing coop have any advice to share? (Our existing coop is large and has plenty of room for more chickens)

 

[aart]

(Our existing coop is large and has plenty of room for more chickens)

Add a wired off section in the coop for the new chicks.
Early integration is the easiest, after the set up work.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

 

[Ridgerunner]

They will be chicks and I am wondering how old they should be before they are put in the coop with the adults. (Our existing coop is large and has plenty of room for more chickens)

How big is it, in feet or meters. A photo could be useful, inside and out. You typically need more room for integration than after they are all integrated. Then add to it the age differences and the need for room can go up pretty quickly. How much room do you have outside of the coop? When is that outside room available? I have no idea what the weather will be like when you get them, that can make a difference. Do you have electricity available in the coop? That really opens up your options.

I brood mine in the coop from Day 1. When mine are 5 weeks old I let them roam with the rest of the flock, including a rooster and adult hens. Sometimes there are other juveniles in the flock. I have electricity in my 8' x 12' coop, I have over 3,000 square feet available outside pretty much from when they all wake up, and I have weather where they can all be outside practically all day every day. My chicks basically grow up with the flock and integration is a breeze. Depending on your unique circumstances you may be able to use some version of that. @aart uses somewhat similar thinking but her situation is different so it's not exactly the same. You have to be flexible.

Many people brood in their house so the chicks are a lot older when they are introduced to the flock. Some of these bring them out as soon as weather allows. Others wait longer. There might be something unique in your set-up that suggests one is better than the other for you. My preference is to get them introduced as soon as possible.

There are some suggestions that are pretty common no matter how you do it. Have different feeding and watering stations well spread out. It's good if some cannot be seen from the other stations. I have three and sometimes four feeding stations and watering stations but I may have a lot more room than you. House them across wire so they can see each other for a while before you let them out together. Give them as much room as you can, inside and outside. You can improve the quality of the room you have by adding clutter. Clutter means things to hide under, behind, or over so they can avoid the attention of the older ones.

With chicks and juveniles, mine tend to form their own sub-flock until they mature enough to join the pecking order. With my pullets that's usually when they start to lay. Some groups intermingle a lot more than others but keeping a distance is the typical version. That's where extra room and the quality of room comes in handy, it allows them to avoid the adults.

I've never had any problems with a mature dominant rooster, but I introduce the chicks while young so he assumes they are his. Sometimes a hen gives some problems but they usually not that bad. With enough room the chicks can get away from them and avoid them. I've never lost a chick to another adult but some people have. We each have our unique situation.

Good luck with it.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

Adult chickens should know not to be harsh on the young ones, they will probably peck a few times but should leave them alone once the little ones know who's the boss. When my eggs hatched, the mom just took along her offspring to join the flock and the others pretty much left them alone....... but in your case they have no mom to protect them so maybe it's not wise to just integrate them right off the bat, or maybe you could try, just keep an eye out for them in case things get outta hand.