ONE WEEK OLD AND THREE WEEK OLD

i am interested in this myself as i plan on getting some EEs on the 27th, but already have my little flock of 6 growing steadily in my bathtub....yes...you heard that right....but want to eventually have them all together, so I am very interested in that answer as well! :)

How close are they in size? And is it just 2 chicks? I think if its just the two you may be ok, but if its more, may be a problem with the smaller not being able get enough to eat... watch and see if it'll work...

AH! ok... I think then you might need to take into consideration the different heat needs for them. I would put a divider in the brooder/tub... Duct tape and plastic poultry net would work in the tub. SO, they will be together, but not together where the smallers will get hurt, and you can direct a larger portion of the heat lamps over the youngers and the olders won't need as much heat, and by the time they are all ready to go out of the brooder together, they will be together. I think after a week or two of separate sides of the brooder, you'll be able to remove the divider and watch how they interact together.

awesome, I wouldnt have thought of a mesh divider, I planned on them sharing the same space but figured I would just have two boxes in my bathtub, lol. i was already planning on fashioning a bigger box with toys today for them and a wee little perch, so I will go ahead and add a mesh divider too. :) Thanks for sharing your thread abChicken! 

 

Can I also build on that and ask what age they all should be when fending for themselves is easy against one another?

I would think the youngers will be fending just fine by the time they are 3 weeks. At 3 and 5 weeks, I would think they'd be able to co-exist and start their pecking order. Having seen each other the whole time will help with that. 

I currently have two 2-week olds, and two 5-week olds in the same brooder. They seem to be just fine. I was concerned about the older ones picking on the little ones, but so far no problems. 

Yesterday I put two 1-day olds in with my two 3-week olds and my four 2-week olds. I threw in some alfalfa hay at the recommendation of someone on here. It worked really well; definitely try some sort of distraction when they all are together. They are doing great so far - one big happy family.

Thats great.  It usually works until the oldest chicks get about 6 weeks.  After that age, I don't add any newly hatched chicks to that chick group.  I just start another.