Update #5 My Plan for getting the 4 month old with the 8 week olds

[ShaggysGirl]

Hi Guys,
I have a large coop with 11 EE in it and a smaller coop with 26 Cuckoo Marans, BO and Cochins , their outside runs share two chicken wire walls. The Larger coop has like a backwards L shape. Any ways they are out from 7 or 8 am till 8 - 10 pm, in and out of run and coop.

The younger birds are now 8 weeks old and have been seeing the EEs now 4 months old in the run next door since they were 3 weeks old. They seem to pretty much ignore each other unless one run is getting treats and the other hasn't yet.

OK here's my plan. Tomorrow since I'm off work I'm going to undo part of the chicken wire that separates the two runs and

hope they get along. I have 6 Polish that are 5 weeks I want to put in the small coop.
How long do you think it will take them to adjust?
Should I put the younger ones in the coop too or is just letting them in the run good enough for now and they'll find their way into the big coop?

Thanks for any info and experiences you all have and share.

edited to add. We do have roosters if that makes a difference. Two EE and a lot in the younger ones till we pull a few out. I want to try to keep the 2 EE roos and 1 BO, 1 CM and 1 Cochin.

 

[G Wiz Ranch]

Most people will say to introduce them at night. I have several coops. When my little ones are 4 weeks old. I let them out in the morning to free range with the big ones. They have lots of places to hide and room to get away. The big ones are less stressed because they are free and are more interested in scratching than fighting. When it starts to get dark, I help remind the little ones where their coop is. I have a very mixed flock right now, from 9 weeks to 1 year.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Sounds like a plan to me. I also make sure I have some scratch ready and throw it out to distract everybody. Plus when they are full they aren't so mean.

The other thing I do is make a little hiding spot that the little ones can get in and out of but the big birds can't.

You would just shake your head at some of the ways I come up with this. But whatever works.

 

[ShaggysGirl]

Thanks
I have scratch and meal worms that should keep them busy

 

[ShaggysGirl]

Well, I opened one part of the wire I was expecting the little ones to go into the larger run, but nope the biggies ran in the small run. There was some squawks, pecks and a few chases but it wasn't bad. With in 20 mins the little ones retreated back into their smaller coop

So now they biggies have the run of it all.
I'm going to try to get the little ones out of the coop later and maybe I'll try to get them all in the big coop tonight.... or maybe I'll wait till tomorrow.