what is the safest way to introduce brooder raised chicks to a flock?

[elisavet68]

I'm raising some new chicks indoors and wanted to know if anyone can offer me some tips on introducing these 5 to the established flock (4 hens and 1 rooster.)
Does it help to raise them in a brooder inside the coop with the others? Or let them free range together when they get a bit older?
Is it more challenging to introduce one flock to another or one hen at a time?
And when is the best age to do this?
Thanks

 

[Den in Penn]

It does help to raise them in a brooder in the coop, they will grow up knowing each other. Free ranging together while sleeping in separate quarters helps. While they are establishing a pecking order when one backs down it has more room to get away. Doing both may be the safest way. I don;t have the room in the coop to put a brooding cage in there. I do let them free range together when the chicks reach eight to ten weeks. I don't try to force them into the same coop until the pullets are POL. Its more challenging to introduce one chicken at a time. The whole flock can concentrate on that one hen so you have to watch much closer. If you have more then a couple of hens, one at a time can be dangerous to that one bird.