Adding 6 week old roo chick to brooder with four 6 week old pullets

[DuckDuckSook]

Hello Friends!

I have a friend who has a 6 week old roo chick looking for a new home. I still have my four 6 week old chicks in the brooder in my house. Can I put the roo in with the pullets? Will this work out? What are your suggestions? Thanks in advance.

 

[DuckDuckSook]

I'm looking to do this this upcoming week so any ideas are appreciated!

 

[tlcmurphy]

I put a 6 week old cockerel (I didn’t know it at the time) in with my 3 5 week old pullets and it went well. However, I put them together when I put all of them into their coop/run for the first time. Not sure how it would work in a smaller brooder.

 

[DuckDuckSook]

I put a 6 week old cockerel (I didn’t know it at the time) in with my 3 5 week old pullets and it went well. However, I put them together when I put all of them into their coop/run for the first time. Not sure how it would work in a smaller brooder.

The brooder we have is actually pretty big (4 feet x 8 feet). I think I will put something between him and the pullets at first so they can see each other first and then based on that, I'll introduce them.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Most likely you can add him without issue. To be safe I'd supervise at the start for the first hour or so, but given their ages they're more likely to accept him without fuss as they don't have a more firmly set pecking order like adults would.

 

[tlcmurphy]

The brooder we have is actually pretty big (4 feet x 8 feet). I think I will put something between him and the pullets at first so they can see each other first and then based on that, I'll introduce them.

That sounds like a good plan. I don’t think it matters as much that he’s a boy, but he is 2 weeks older/bigger