Can I add 2 chicks to a flock of chicks?

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dawkinsamy

dawkinsamy

Hatching
5 Years
Apr 28, 2014
5
0
9
Our broody hen just hatched some chicks for a friend of mine, I am giving her back all the hatch when they are 4 weeks old. I had a couple losses this summer so I wanted to get a couple hens from our local feed shop. The chicks I have will be 2 weeks old when the feed shops get the chicks in. Will it be possible to slide the new chicks in to the little flock we already have without issues? I am not sure how old the chicks will be when we get them, my guess is between 2 and 4 weeks. I really want mama hen to take over so she can be the one to keep them warm if the temps drop before they are fully feathered.

Also, how long should I keep these chicks in the coup before letting them out. Mama hen is getting awfully antsy. :)
 
You should be able to mix 2 week and 4 week old chicks with each other, but I wouldn't count on putting the with a mama who has her own chicks. Not sure why you are not letting the mama take er chicks out of the coop. A good mama will care for her chicks right in with the flock -- but new chicks from the feed store, I'm afraid, would only be safe with oter new chicks, up to 4 weeks old.
 
Thanks for the info! The lady I that gave me the fertile eggs said to keep them in the coup the first 2 weeks which is why I have kept them in.
Next question, do you think we have enough warm days that I won't need to get any warmers for this batch of hens? (As you know the weather here has been so crazy, it seems summer just decided to show up the last few weeks). Do you you think the mama hen will peck at the other chicks or just not accept them?
 
I don't understand why you would need warmers for hens. If you mean for the 2 week old chicks, they should probably be at 80 degrees or more, night and day, at first. And a mama hen raising chicks could ignore new chicks, or she could attack and kill them. You will just have to see how it goes. Every flock, and every mama hen, is different.
 

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