Adding to the flock/ more pullets than existing hens

[aart]

Maybe put the two old ones in a dog crate inside the run, while the pullets have access to the whole coop and the rest of the run, and let them see each other for a week or so. Then let the hens out and watch what happens.

I would do that in whichever coop & run is larger, no matter which group is living in it at present.

(This is in addition to the ideas other people have posted, about clutter so they can get out of sight of each other, and multiple feed/water stations.)

Excellent idea.^^^

Yes, and by the way I feel like I am talking to a celebrity. I have read so many of your posts!

That just makes me a prolific poster

I’m disheartened to hear that I should’ve done this at six weeks because what I read was to make sure I didn’t put them together until they were the same size.

That's old school advice.

 

[Cryss]

By about 5 weeks or more chicks are pretty much feathered out and able to be outdoors rather than in a brooder. That’s when I put them in a “see but no touch” enclosure. I have a small coop and run inside the main run that works perfectly but before I built that I used a large dog cage in the run that I covered with tarp at night. After about 2-3 weeks not only has everyone gotten used to each other but the chicks are a bit larger. Not fully grown but big enough to join. You can do the same with fully grown chickens but they will need more room than a dog cage. Maybe fence off a bit of run area with a small coop all inside the main run. When you finally integrate them just hang out for an hour or two to watch the interaction. Allow pecking order. Don’t allow blood or pinning down.

 

[Fourway]

For future, here is one article on the way some people like to integrate chicks:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop-brooder-and-integration.74591/

Different people do things different ways. The advice about letting them grow up has been around for years, and it certainly can work. You have a situation of integrating adults (or almost adults), rather than integrating chicks.

Neither way is "wrong," just different.

Thank you!

 

[Fourway]

By about 5 weeks or more chicks are pretty much feathered out and able to be outdoors rather than in a brooder. That’s when I put them in a “see but no touch” enclosure. I have a small coop and run inside the main run that works perfectly but before I built that I used a large dog cage in the run that I covered with tarp at night. After about 2-3 weeks not only has everyone gotten used to each other but the chicks are a bit larger. Not fully grown but big enough to join. You can do the same with fully grown chickens but they will need more room than a dog cage. Maybe fence off a bit of run area with a small coop all inside the main run. When you finally integrate them just hang out for an hour or two to watch the interaction. Allow pecking order. Don’t allow blood or pinning down.

Thank you everyone for your advice! I’m going to reassess my plans and I’ll tell how it went…

 

[Fourway]

Here is an update! So we partitioned the run and built a small box for the two older girls to go in on the other side. I tried to take everybody’s advice into consideration so we’ve been doing the look but don’t touch. This is taking longer than I thought it would mostly because my mom just had major surgery and then complications so I’ve been spending a lot of time with her. The chickens have been doing look but don’t touch for about three weeks. They don’t seem to have much interest in each other but I have tried to open the door to have them get together and my older girl is very dominant.
My question now is should I just leave the door open and if they’re doing OK after a couple of hours then I can let them be for a little while? Obviously I will check in on them, but if I do this and then I go to work they’ll be unsupervised, so now that things are getting back to normal for me, I will cross my fingers for full integration next weekend. Honestly I know this is going to be a “me” problem and not a chicken problem, but I don’t like to see them fight! Lol

 

[aart]

I will cross my fingers for full integration next weekend. Honestly I know this is going to be a “me” problem and not a chicken problem, but I don’t like to see them fight!

Good plan.
Let them work it out unless copious blood is drawn or someone gets pinned down and beaten mercilessly. Interfering will only set back any progress.
Did you clutter up the run, as suggested early on?

 

[Fourway]

Yes, I did. There are lots of obstacles and places to escape.

 

[Fourway]

So, the integration was successful! The older girls gave the younger ones a few little pecks, but nothing major. It only lasted a couple of hours. Now they are all one happy group! Now for the next challenge…I heard one of them crow!

Thanks again to everyone who offered advice. I truly appreciate the help!