[SusieB]

I have 2 ex-batts which I have had for a year. 

I am getting two more hens and can't decide what age to buy them.  At what age would I be able to put them all in together?

[GrannieAnnie]

I wouldn't do it until they are nearly point of lay or the old hens could try to kill them.  At least by 16weeks or so they will have more chance of sticking up for themselves.

You may be lucky and have 2 motherly older girls, but is it worth taking a chance for a few weeks?

[SusieB]

Thanks.  I was hoping to get them younger, as it might be easier to make them friendly and tame.  But 16 weeks sounds more sensible, I don't want to have to keep them apart for too long.

[Sassy]

Best to keep them apart for two weeks at least as a quarantine period. Then keep them side by side but separate. When you put them into together do it at night when they are drowsy. Also put out extra feeders and waterers

[Elvira]

I got 3 youngsters (I think they were around 12 weeks) and they were so much smaller than my old girls that I kept them separate for about 2 months to let them bulk up before I integrated them. I moved their coop (pet carrier!!)  and caged run close to the old girls run so that they could see each other and even when I put them into the old girls run, I left them with a separate coop to escape into. They took a bit of persuading to go to bed in the big girls coop but as Sassy says, I kept popping them into the big coop after dark when they were all drowsy and after a few nights of doing that I could get rid of the smaller coop.  There hasn't been much bullying at all so the slow approach has been worth doing. 

[SusieB]

Thank you everybody (I am a bit nervous about it).