Adding 5 day old to 14 day olds

[Rochelesmit]

So I have ten 13-14 day old chicks, and just got 2 buff laced polish that are 5 days old to add to them. Seemed to go well for an hour or so, except now one EE is pecking at them quite often. The rest of the chicks pay them no mind. I thought there wouldn't be much of a problem since they are so close in age. I'll be leaving to work soon and don't have supplies to set up a second brooder. Should it resolve itself fairly soon?

 

[seminolewind]

Polish will and maybe will always be vulnerable to the other chicks. I'd also be concerned about the Polish not being able to get to food or water due to fear. The only thing I can suggest is to put a lot of obstacles in there, and watch that they can get food and water.

Oh yea, the other thing that might work is to buy 25 more Polish, LOL!

 

[Judy]

Supposedly, you can mix chicks of any age during their first 30 or so days of life. Of course, no chicken rule always holds true. But I suspect the main problem here is that it was Polish that you added. Chicks with those pouffs on the head tend to be targets of those without. In case you didn't know. that crest is due to the resence of a skull defect, unfortunately making them even more vulnerable. I would not leave them together without supervision, at least not until they have shown themselves to be accepting of each other.

It's possible you could remove the EE and the pecking will stop, if no others have picked up its habit yet. That's an approach that often workks with adult flocks, at any rate; usually it's suggested that the aggressor be removed out of sight for a week.

Goofd luck!

 

[Rochelesmit]

Well they are getting food and water just fine. It's when they try to hang out in the 'chick corner' quite frankly, if I was another chick I'd peck them too! They keep crawling all over the sleeping chicks and rousing them and pecking at their beaks... They are kinda asking for it. :/
I'm in the process of building another bigger brooder for them, but won't be ready till the weekend. Also, I got called out of town for the next 3 days, so hopefully some survival instinct kicks in and they stay away from the EE. I think the worst part is that maybe because the EE is the only other light colored chick, they are following it everywhere, even though it keeps pecking them.
Sigh, chicken drama.