Adding chicks to chicks.....

[pafreun]

Am just re-starting having chickens again. I got 8 chicks three weeks ago (and they're doing GREAT!), but now the local TSC has additional chicks (different breed), and am contemplating adding another four or so. (Am sticking with all pullets, as I just want the eggs.... ) Are my three week olds young enough that they may accept them, and I can just add directly, or should I separate as suggested throughput this forum when adding newbies? Thanks!

 

[Rysktal]

3 week olds are much more mature than day olds. I wouldn't mix them right away. You could brood them next to each other so they can call see each other and mix them together in a couple of weeks.

It would be nice if they could all go together right away!

 

[chickens really]

Definitely a look no touch pen is needed. They don't have Momma to protect them.

 

[Mrs. K]

I agree, but I would think about 10 days or two weeks, in see no touch situations, maybe sooner, they could be together. Feed along the separating fence.

Do have hide outs and multiple feeders. Most brooders are just empty flat space. Break that up, get them out in a larger space as soon as possible with hide outs and multiple feeders.

Most brooders are too small in my experience, the more space the better.

Mrs K

 

[TheYLWFlock]

I have integrated 4 week olds into a flock of 6 week olds and 8 week olds into a flock of 10 week olds. Certainly they are bigger and more mature but not so mature that they are being vicious and nasty. There is a large age gap between 3 weeks and a few days, but it’s mostly in size. I’d say, but them in the same brooder, with a chicken wire separator (or similar see-no-touch fences) for the first few days then slowly do introductions for a few minutes at a time, always watching, after a week to 10 days, take the fence away monitor for a while to make sure everything is ok, then check in on them a couple times each hour until you know for sure everything will be fine. Good luck, chickens are addictive!

 

[aart]

I've added Day Olds to 2-3 week old chicks.
Started by separating the brooder with wire, the DO's really wanted to be with the others, the oldest chick wanted into the DO's space....so I put her in there, she only wanted to the feed and water didn't do anything to the DO's. So I put the DO's in with the others and there was no problems, so I took down the divider mesh.

So, it can be fine, but use caution and have a back up plan.