7 out of 16 died so far ordered more chicks

[JULIE L CORWIN]

I used VPOW VITAL-PACK. from a hatchery. Made it way way to strong for chicks. To me when I mixed it. It looked to strong. Should of followed my gut feeling. Called the hatchery and found out what I did wrong. So 7 died. After talking with them. Went out and changed to just good clean water. Now they are all drinking like mad.
So ordered more chicks. The difference is that the ones comeing will be a week younger than the current ones. The current ones will be 2 weeks old. I know of the pecking order has to be established. My question is that to much of an age difference.. To mix them together?

 

[SunHwaKwon]

They can be mixed, though sometimes bigger chicks will unintentionally trample smaller ones.

How much did you mix? The dosing says 1/10 of a teaspoon to a gallon of water. It does take a lot to overdose. I don't even measure it. I just get a pinch and put it in the quart waterer and then fill the waterer up.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Most people only have measuring devices down to 1/4 tsp so if you want to measure it out you can mix 1/4 tsp into ten ounces of water, and then put one ounce of that solution into the quart waterer before filling it. Save the rest in the refrigerator, and make a fresh batch every three days.

 

[azygous]

You can mix the new chicks with the older ones. Expect a bit of pecking by the home crew upon being introduced to their new mates. It's normal chick behavior to give a quick peck on the head as a greeting to newcomers.

However, do not just toss them together like a chick salad and walk away. Stick around for half an hour and observe to make sure there's no ganging up on any individual. You'll know it when you see it.

To maximize the chances of everyone getting along, make sure you have a large enough brooder for all these chicks - about a square foot for each chick.

Consider brooding outdoors in coop or run where there is plenty of room. There is no law that requires you to brood in a box in your home. Read my article on outdoor brooding linked below to get an idea of what this is about and the many benefits.

 

[AquaDuck]

Make sure they have a lot of room and many food stations. There WILL be some scuffling, and it's the newcomers who's gonna get it. The best way to do it is to separate the two flocks with some chicken wire or something see-through for the first days, and let them get used to each other. That way the newcomers get to feel at home before meeting the scary neighbors. Make sure they both have access to the heat source.
Good luck!