When can I merge my new additions?

Busybee1

Songster
13 Years
Jan 1, 2012
319
19
226
Cottontownn TN
We have an existing flock of 4 hens and a roo. We have four 6 week old BO chicks. I think 2 are hens and 2 are roos. We want to keep 1 roo and give the other away when we confirm their sex. We also have five 2 week old chicks that are Speckles Sussex, Light Sussex and Buff brahma.

We have 2 small tractor coops and a large coop. I plan on putting the younger chick flocks in thier respective tractor coops until I can merge everyone. I can free range them, for now, with the 6 week old chicks, supervised, for short periods of time so they will get to know each other.

I have one hen that is a little bit of a bully. She is #2 in the pecking order and, just a little high strung.

I have 2 questions.
Do I wait until all the chicks are old enough and add them at the same time? When the little ones are 3 months maybe?

I want to end up with 2 roos and 10 hens. Is this ratio ok? My existing roo is a very well mannered Partidge Cochin.

Thanks!
 
Wait til all of the chicks are old enough and then add them at the same time. The hens can see the chicks every day right? They need to be seeing each other thru the fence to adjust to the presence of the others so that integration is less traumatic.
 

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