I’ve had chickens for 3 years. I started with 6, and have added a few and lost one or two each year. My current flock of layers is 8 beauties of different breeds. This year because most of my layers are slowing down I got a larger crop of chicks in February (all different breeds).
Weather looks great to integrate the flocks, but some of the young ones are still smaller and I worry about bullying. I’ve had the young ones outside for weeks now, but in a different run, on the other side of the fence from the layers.
Two of the young ones are really big, about as big as my smallest layers. Should integrate the flocks all at once, waiting for the little ones to catch up, or should I move them 4&4 with the biggest ones going into the flock now?
I’m inclined to merge them all at once so that there is strength in numbers.
Thanks for your advice.