Adding to flock

[dusica731]

I have 16 3 week old chicks and I have 3 more coming in about a week and a half. Is it safe to add them into the brooder with the flock or should they be in a separate brooder? I am obviously new to raising them. I just don't want to stress any of my chicks out :/

 

[Judy]

There is supposedly a rule of thumb that you can mix different ages while they are all under one month old, so if the newones will be day old chicks, they would exceed that. The truth is, everyone's experience will be different. In your situation, I would fix a setup where they are next to each other but with wire between for a few days at least. It is possible they would be ok if they had a large enough area to move in, like outdoors, and enough distractions, plus more than one food and water source, but I would certainly supervise closely if I tried it.

 

[browland84]

I would think not, only because they have to be at different temps. If new ones are suppose to be at 90-95 degrees and the older chicks at 85 wouldn't the older ones get hot if you increased the temp? Don't take my word for it though. I've never had two different ages together.

 

[Odyssey]

I'm still a newbie myself, but I have the heat lamp on one side rather than in the middle and my suspected range of ages is from a 3 day bantam to a 12 day standard. They all do well, but were introduced to each other the same day. They all run about the whole brooder box, but generally hang together for naps.

I think a mild advantage to age differences, if they get along, is that older chicks show the younger ones where everything is and what to do. All of mine are on large shavings and while they do peck at them, everyone is following the older's lead of eating from the feeder.

 

[dusica731]

Thank you everyone ... Im going to add a " introduction pen" to my brooder with the heat lamp on that side. We'll see how everyone behaves and maybe after a few days or so I'll let them into the main side with the others for a "play date" for a hour or two and go from there... Hoping all goes well