Adding chicks to the brooder

[Kathyb2]

Last Monday I had 3 chicks hatch. I had two more in a separate incubator. They hatched today. I put them together in the brooder after about 8 hours. The older chicks are picking on the little ones. Not terribly bad, but there has been some pecking. Is this ok to do? Does it normally stop once they have been in there awhile?

 

[taffers]

I am by no means an expert AT ALL, but I ordered 6 chicks and one died so I had to order 3 more. When they arrived, they were 5 days younger than the original 5. I put them in the brooder, and the older ones did sort of pick on them and peck at them at first- I think just to let them know how is boss and establish pecking order? Because it stopped within a day. I was comfortable enough to leave them together overnight the first night (I did wake up in the middle of the night to check on them), and they were fine the next day.

 

[Kathyb2]

Thanks. I didn't realize how much of a size difference 6 days would make. They are half the size of the first 3.

 

[taffers]

Yes- that's exactly what we said. We didn't even realize our original 5 had really gotten bigger until we got the new ones, and they were SO much smaller! People aren't kidding when they say chicks grow at an amazing rate. I feel like my original ones, born July 9th, are already too big for the brooder!

 

[gander007]

I normally wait till the new hatch-lings can move around and run before putting them in with others .....




This mother I had to finish her hatching egg's in the incubator and I still had to hold back her chicks for three days so I could add them as they had to be able the run on their own to survive ...