Adding new chicks

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hilltopchicks77

hilltopchicks77

Songster
6 Years
Mar 7, 2016
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So I got my chicks in 2 batches. The first batch of 6 is around a week old, 2 of them always peck the others but no one is showing any signs of injury from it.

I got 5 more chicks today that are 1-2 days old. I out them in with the first batch and the 2 started pecking them but it seems a little more aggressive than it is with the same size chicks. I took them out of the brooder and put them in my duck brooder for "time out" and to let the little guys get established. The duck brooder is like 80 in it so not quite warm enough. The small guys seem to be getting along well with the remaining group of originals. How long do I need to let them go? They were just shipped in the morning so I know they have had a stressful day!

By the way the ducklings and chicks do get along so this isn't a huge concern other than the temp being 80 not 90
 
I'd keep the young ones in their own space for a day or two so you're sure they can get plenty of food and water without being hassled.

The best approach is a much larger brooder with multiple food and water stations and they will all get along at those ages.
 
I will the big ones be ok in with the ducks at that temp for a few hours until I can get a space for the little guys going? The newbies seem happy with the nicer big chicks. Everyone sharing food and water and snuggling already
 
Ideally brooders should have a warm space and cool space and not the same temperature throughout. That allows birds to find their comfort zone. Warm up if they get chilly and move away when they get hot. That's the way a mother hen does it.
Commercial hatcheries use the 90-95 first week and lowering 5F each week program because they have thousands of birds and don't have the space to provide options that the chicks prefer.
 
The chick one is 95 on one end maybe slightly higher and around 80 on the other end. The duck brooder I was using as a time out has 80 at its Max point
 
400
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This is my first attempt at posting pics. Anyone want to take a stab at how old they are?
 
Looks like a difference in age within a few days or a week. Do you have a straight run? What breeds? The wings feather out at around a week. Some sex link birds may feather out differently. Pecking order is established very young...I have 2 chicks recently hatched, and one pecked at the other within just hours of hatching! My theory is as long as no one is bleeding or pecked raw, let them be. It will help in the long run!
 
The single chick is a buff orphington according to tractor supply its feathers were never puffy though it was a straight run the rest are supposed to be pullets, the other bigger ones are "production reds" the new ones are yellows are more buff orphingtons and the black ones are Wyandottes.

that is good to know about them working it out. The one production red pecks everyone a lot but no one seems to really be complaining and no one looks injured from it. I don't know if she's cleaning them or what. I'm a chicken first timer so I may have panicked a little!
 

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