Adding 2 week olds to 3.5 week olds

[WendyTestaburger]

I have 6 chicks who are 3 weeks old now. I'm thinking of adding 4 more but the hatchery only has chicks that are about 10 days younger than mine. I've been reading on here that 4 weeks is the max age you can add new chicks to current chicks the brooder. Mine will be 4 weeks Sunday and pickup would be this Thursday. Is this cutting it too close? Should I just start with with divider or try and see if they get along first? Not sure if I'm making the right decision 😕

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I add new chicks to the flock every three weeks, once they hit three weeks of age. Yes, use a divider. "see and be seen" is the way, and "abundance is a social lubricant" - if they can see each other w/o having to fight over food and water, things should go smoothly and you will be able to integrate quickly.

This assumes, of course, that you trust the source and won't be using a remote quarantine.

Otherwise, same process, definitely uise a divider after your quarantine is done, and expect 10-14 day period of them acclimating to one another before you remove the divider and monitor.

 

[WendyTestaburger]

I add new chicks to the flock every three weeks, once they hit three weeks of age. Yes, use a divider. "see and be seen" is the way, and "abundance is a social lubricant" - if they can see each other w/o having to fight over food and water, things should go smoothly and you will be able to integrate quickly.

This assumes, of course, that you trust the source and won't be using a remote quarantine.

Otherwise, same process, definitely uise a divider after your quarantine is done, and expect 10-14 day period of them acclimating to one another before you remove the divider and monitor.

Thank you! Is it easier to add newbies once they’re outside in the coop or inside in the brooder?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I keep my hatchlings in the brooder box to 3 weeks if I can, 2 weeks if I have a good hatching. Then they move to the "grow out pen" in my barn, which has an attached outside run where they can see/be seen by the free range adult flock for the next 10 days to 3 weeks, depending. By age six weeks, usually sooner, they are ranging with the adult flock all day long (I do still pen them overnight in the grow out - but that's only so I can feed them a higher protein food than the adults get).

This is what happened a few days ago, when the goats ripped a hole in the snow fencing, allowing the adult flock access to the grow out area. Birds here (mostly) got along fine. There was some pecking, but no injuries. Birds range in age fromalmost 4 weeks to over 14 months. About 1/4 of the flock in this picture - even one of the ducks made an appearance.

 

[WendyTestaburger]

Wow look at them! The little one on the right looks like he's doing his best incognito impression LOL. That's great they got along. I think I might try it. I have a metal cage top I can put in the watermelon box inside to keep them separate the 10-14 days and extra feeders and heat plate for the new ones. Hopefully it goes well. Thank you for your advice!

 

[Brooks_]

even one of the ducks made an appearance.

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