when can i blend the flock?

[EpiphanyChicks]

Due to some unfortunate shipping,
I have two rounds of chicks.

My Original flock consists of 5 EE's
I now have 2 cuckoo marans and two RIR's that are about 6 wks old, and 1 Buff Orp, 1 Black And. and one mystery chick that are 1 week old.

When can I move the 6 week olds into the big house?
Any suggestions on HOW to proceed?

I have to keep them separate from the little peepers,
so right now I have three flocks...what was i thinking?!?!

ok, i was thinking that i love chickens and fresh eggs and they're all so cute...

thanks for your help!

 

[bigredfeather]

I would wait until they get close to the same size as your EE's. I just integrated my 18 week old with the full grown hens. I waited until after dark to make the move. I placed the 18 week olds right on the roost in the hen's pen. They didn't make a sound, and sat right were I placed them. I checked on everybody in the morning, and all were getting along. I had the 18 weeks olds right next to the hens, so they could see each other since they were young. I think that helps a lot when combining.

 

[Freebird]

I feel your pain. I have groups of pullets at two different ages because a hatchery delayed my order a month. I just added the 16 week olds to my main flock. I put them in a tractor next to the run for a week or so before putting them in the coop at night. They wouldn't stay on the roost when I placed them on it. I closed the coop up to keep them in there with the original flock all night and opened the chicken door in the morning. They won't go into the coop at night like the others, so I have been moving them in at night for the last few nights. I'm sure it is because they don't think of that coop as their home yet, or the other birds as their flock, but hopefully they will soon. I really can't cage them inside the coop seperately because of the coop design, so I'm afraid it may be a while before they get used to it. The bad thing is that I will have to do this again in another 5 or 6 weeks with the next batch of pullets.

UPDATE...tonight, 3 of the 5 new pullets went into the coop by themselves! One other one was camped out on the coops window ledge where it could see inside the screen. The last one was running around the outside of the coop clucking like it was lonley and had been abandoned. I caught it and put it at the chicken door entrance and coaxed it inside, along with the one on the ledge. I went inside the coop and moved them up to the roosts...and they stayed there! (at least while I was in the coop) I am continuously surprised by how fast chickens learn.

It looks like they are starting to integrate! My wife said she saw a few of the new pullets hanging out within 3-4 ft of one of the "old guard" hens - not something they did on the first or second day together. Hopefully by the weekend they will be one big(ger) happy flock.