Adding new chicks of varying ages (8-4 weeks) HELP!

[amylou22]

Start with I should have known better...

I got some chickens from a very nice lady off Craigslist today. She ordered them and then found out her family is moving cross country.

I have 8 8-week old chicks. I built for 16 and wanted to expand my flock. However due to circumstances and finances, I knew that brooding chicks and keeping them separate for several months, months from now, would be impossible. So I decided to get chicks the same age as mine.

I got 3 EE that she said are 7 weeks. They are just a bit smaller than my girls. I also got 2 (what I believe to be Wyanadottes; she got a mixed pack from the hatchery) and she swore they were all the same age.... but they are half the size of my birds.

Tell me what to do. They have to go together. I have no other space, I have no funds, time, or manpower to create a space.

They have been in the run fighting for 3 hours. The smaller of the two littles was picked on bad, strangely, the larger was not. I made them a special corner in the run for them with chicken wire so they could play safely. I also have a cat-taxi to put them in inside the coop tonight.

WHAT CAN I DO? I wish I had never even attempted this. I drove over an hour and spent the little "fun money" I have. I am so upset. I am also so upset that I believed the lady when she said it would be fine, just mix them right away, they are all chicks, they will do fine. I am seriously worried I am going to find an injured or dead chicken by morning. Help, Please!

 

[zengrrl]

I think keeping them seperate in the wire cage for some time will help but BUMPING this up so you can get better advice.

 

[amylou22]

Thanks. I just need them locked up safe for the night. Sigh.

 

[Watermelon_Gypsy]

How frustrating for you! I've sorta found myself in the same situaton - I was given a little GLW that was less than a week old, my other birds were 2.5wks old so I thought I'd be okay. Well my EE started picking on the GLW really bad so I pulled her back out & will attempt to introduce them when all birds are grown.

How has today gone for you? Did all survive the night?

 

[amylou22]

They are all ok.
I am keeping the 2 little ones in the cat taxi at night, inside the big coop. Tomorrow, I am going back and getting 3 more small ones (if I am dealing with keeping separate, what are 3 more? Then my flock is complete, ya know). The big ones are still bickering. The Araconas are getting picked on, but it has to happen and it will pass.

I am putting out extra food and water. I also have a small pen within the run for the small ones. I am hoping to mix them some over the coming weeks and slowly let them work it out. I am hoping that after a few weeks of being together, yet seperate, they will accept the smaller ones easily.

 

[jimmythechicken]

this is what i would do take them out then at night time once all you old chicks are in the coop an resting put the birds in the coop.then all night the get used to there smell an stuff in the morning them will usaully be fine with them an think they are part of there flock.this works well for us we never put new chicks in durning the day always in the darkness of night.i would pull them out of the coop for a few days before you put them in at night.