Will they ever get along? Integrating different ages of chickens.

[woodmort]

My coop has two rooms, I brood in one and confine the older birds to the other where they are allowed outside. Once the chicks are fully feathered and at least 6 weeks posthatch, I take the door off between the rooms and put in a chicken-wire door so they can see each other. In about another month, depending on size and making sure the new chicks are used to roosting, I take down the wire door so birds can use both rooms. The young ones will integrate fairly quickly since they are used to roosting away from the adults.

Haven't had a problem in 20 years of using this method. BTW, both rooms have roosts and nesting boxes so, as adults, they are housed in the whole coop.

 

[Elite Silkies]

I just put my 4 month old Buff Orp girls and my 4 month old Speckled Sussex pullet in with my Adult hens and Rooster. I did it yesterday evening after they had all gone in to roost. The only one that gave me any problems was the Rooster, and I gave him a good schooling and he went back to the roost. I sat all 3 girls on the roost and they stayed put after that.

Everyone is still doing fine. I think some breeds are just more docile and accept new birds easier.

I put all the 3-5 week old Silkies in the coop with the older birds, and they are doing great. No warfare yet.