Trying to figure this out

[Nanblues]

I currently have 6 RIR mixed hens (They are brown and I assume they are a mix with RIR plus they have some greenish marks on their backs) With an age range of 1 to 4 years. I have had these since last september. I also have a roo that also has some RIR in him along with something that gives him some white (A true mutt) He is just over a year best I can tell. I have one hen that is going after the eggs and if I don't get them out of the boxes in time she has a lunch from them. I think she is second from the youngest and is very aggressive to the youngest and smallest of the group. I figured this out by filling an egg with blue food dye and she was the only one with the blue beak. I filled another egg with mustard and this seemed to have stopped it for a while. But she is back on it again. One more egg tomorrow and if it turns out positive she will be "taken care of". So now that you have my entire lady history here is my issue. I have 5 Buff Orpington and 5 White Plymouth Rock chicks (All pullets) that are now 1 week old and doing great best I can tell. They are in my basement in a 4X8X2 foot pen I built. They are in a cardboard circle right now till they get a big bigger. So my question is, when would you introduce the chicks to the older girls? I have read so many different ideas and plans. I can split the run and build a second coop and let them "see" each other first but the time and $$ to do it, I would rather not. I think I can leave them in the basement till they are around 14-16 weeks but it would be nice to get them out a bit earlier. I am not holding anybody to their responses, I am just going to try and get a consensus from the group.

Thanks for your help

Pete

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Alot depends on how large is the area where they would be? All you can do is try it and see. Usually hens don't have the energy of the young chicks to chase and do real damage, but the roos might. They don't have a mama to come between so you could help them. When I feed some scratch I stand with them and my spoiled brat pullets and play defense. Just position myself so if a big chicken tries to take over the chicks spot I block them. Naturally, if a chick wanders over there it gets pecked, now, they have lots of room to run and hide but gotta get along sooner or later. A week is kinda young, wait till they at least have some body feathers and definetly by four weeks.

 

[Nanblues]

Sounds good and thanks!!!! i was going to wait till at least 8 weeks before I let the two groups mingle. My thing is trying to get this whole thing done before the cold weather sets in again this fall. Need to have all living together by the time it gets chilly. My run is 13 foot by 30 so I think the young ones can run. From what I have seen of the older girls they don't move as fast as a chick LOL

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

mine are at six weeks and finally roosting together. They've been in the coup separated at one week and by four weeks over the fence and with the flock. It sounds like your run is plenty big enough, provide a few obstacles for them to hide and run to. The top cut out of a tree works great, or even branches they can squeese through and the big ones can't, they learn that really quick. One thing I did was roll up a tube of chicken wire too small for large chicken and used that as a tunnel to a safe place, they can get that one quick too.