Adding another? Good idea or bad...

[hokankai]

So I've got my 8 little chicks in the brooder who are now 1 week old now. However, I did a very bad thing and searched craigslist for chicks...and now I want either a bantam cochin or a silkie. Can anyone tell me anything about these guys? How would they fit into my varied flock? Is adding a 2 week old to 1 week olds a bad idea? Or is it okay to have mixed ages in the brooder?

 

[gryeyes]

Mixed ages within 3 weeks are fine. You're pushing it a bit with 4 weeks, but I've done that successfully, too. The size difference just lends the littlest chicks to being pecked by the older, stronger ones. But they USUALLY don't keep it up past establishing the new pecking order.