6wk and 6d old chicks moved in together...

[jossanne]

I had two silkie chicks hatch out last week, and one of them never seemed right. They hatched under a broody, and the one chick just stood and peeped all day long in the dog kennel in my computer room. It never got under mama hen willingly, and I never saw it eat and drink. I finally decided that it would be better if it had a heat lamp to stay warm since it didn't seem able to find its way to mama. I checked that it could see and it moved away from my hand when I put my hand in there, but it never acted normal. Anyway, the poor baby died yesterday, leaving one chick alone in the brooder.

I called the feed store, and their youngest chicks are 4 weeks old. They aren't planning on getting any more day-olds until the others sell, so I couldn't get my little one any friends that way.

I have another brooder with three 6wk old chicks, two silkies and a bantam cochin. The poor little lonely baby was peeping and peeping, even when I held it, so I decided to move the big chicks into the little one's brooder. That little baby was so excited to see the larger chicks and attached itself to them immediately. The big ones are pretty well ignoring it, and there was no picking or pecking or bullying at all! They stayed together overnight, and this morning it's just like they all hatched together. I'm SO relieved for the little one to not have to be alone.

Just had to share my success story with integrating chicks. WHEW!!!

I'll post pictures in a while. Have to leave for an hour or so...

 

[chicmom]

Well, that's great! I'd LOVE to see pics!

 

[Happy Chooks]

That's fantastic! I find that at a young age like that, it's easy to put different ages together.

 

[joletabey]

That is really wonderul - you would expect the olders ones to pick on the baby, but I am sure glad that did not happen!